Deception
by auzziewitch
Summary: In an alternate universe Sam and Jack are married, but future events are set to dramatically change their lives. JS, MS. Please RR. COMPLETE
1. Prologue

**PROLOGUE**

The heat of the sand was burning her skin through the towel. As the minutes progressed she could feel the skin on her legs become redder and redder.

Summer. That lovely season during the year where teenagers run wild day in day out, where tourist attractions are always filled, and the sun always causes human bodies to change.

Sam heard a child's laugh and lifted her head from the towel to see three children and their father - so she assumed - building a sandcastle a few feet away from her. The smiles on their faces as the man placed another bucket of sand on top of the already high pile.

The memories associated with such an activity where few for Samantha. As a child, family holidays to the beach where a rarity. The only memory she had of coming to the beach as a child was when she first saw her father hit her mother.

She felt a hand on her back. Rolling over she smiled at the face that greeted her.

"You coming in or not?" He asked her calmly.

"Eventually." She smiled at him.

"Well let me tell you, in there," he indicated the ocean which had a nice set of waves, "it's a lot cooler than here." He indicated their present position, 20 metres from the wet sand.

"Oh I don't know, right here seems like a pretty good spot right now." She smiled at him. He smiled with her, leaning down to plant a soft kiss on her lips.

Sam sat bolt upright in bed. She looked around the dark room, at all the figures that made up her life. The dresser that was on the opposite wall to the bed through a ghostly shadow where the wall behind it was light. There was a scrap of light coming from below the bathroom door.

The gentle snoring of the man in the bed beside her made the dream she had just experienced confusing. The man was not her husband. She lay back down in the bed, glancing at the clock beside her. The time was 4.14, making her dread the next hour and sixteen minutes.

She rolled over, snuggling up to the man who had placed the gold wedding band on her left hand.

"I'm going to DC tomorrow morning Sam, let me sleep." She could hear the tiredness in his voice.

"Jack, you're leaving at 6.30 and it's currently 4.15. I can't sleep when I know you're going to be away for a week." She could feel a lump forming in her throat but knew she had to control herself.

Samantha Malone. The day she had accepted his proposal was one of the happiest days of her life. She knew all about his past, the marriage he had right after college, the two daughters that marriage had created, and the loss of belief that his first wife and caused him to receive.

She knew how he felt on the day he filed for divorce. She was a young FBI agent on her first day in the Violent Crimes Unit. She was eager to prove herself. She had seen the look and carriage of a broken, dragged man. But at the end of the day, he appeared with the team as a man liberated from a fledgling life.

She knew he was waking up as he rolled over so that he was facing her. She could feel him looking into her eyes, she could just see the light gleam in his. "I'll never leave you Sam." He whispered before he kissed her.


	2. Chapter 1

**CHAPTER ONE**

Sam walked into the office four hours later. As she entered, she could feel the spring in her step that she'd carried since she and Jack had become engaged, she could feel it wasn't there.

"He got away okay, I take it." Amanda Feldtmen spoke as Sam walked past her.

"Yeah. I'm gonna miss him though." Sam sighed removing her jacket and draping it over her chair.

"It's only for a week right?" Amanda pressed. Sam knew that Amanda cared about Sam. Amanda was one of the few people that knew about Sam's troubled childhood, and how hard it was for her to start afresh in New York when she was still a kid.

"Yeah, but you know how Washington loves to take its time with these things." Sam spoke, reading over a file on the case they were working on.

"It was coming though." Joshua Gomez walked up to his desk and placed a cup of coffee on his desk. Josh was the only member of the team that Sam found it difficult to get along with.

"What do you mean by that?" Sam turned her head to look at him.

"He broke major protocol on the Willow's case. We all know that Sam,"

"It's Samantha." Sam interrupted him angrily.

"Samantha," he emphasized, "you and I both know that interrogating Marshal on two separate occasions, without a lawyer present when he had already called for one, and, breaking into his house to find evidence was the reason he got off." Sam knew he was right but hated admitting it. This was her husband they were talking about. "Just because you're married to the boss doesn't mean that we can't offer our opinions."

Sam was about to shout at the man when they were interrupted. "I hate to intervene." Paula Van Doren stood in the opening to the office with her arms folded.

"Sorry Paula." Amanda sent a warning look to both Sam and Josh.

"Where's Agent Cato?" Paula cast a brief eye over the office.

"He'll be in late. His wife had her baby last night." Josh replied, smiling briefly.

"Remind me to offer my congratulations." Paula smiled for a moment too. "Unfortunately I bring bad news." Her stance changed. "Samantha, Jack left this morning didn't he?" Sam felt the lump in her throat appear again.

"Yeah, his flight left Kennedy at 7. He left home at 6.30." Sam stuttered. She could feel Amanda and Josh's eyes on her.

"If that's the case, it would explain why he didn't arrive at DC." Paula walked further into the office. "Jack Malone's status has been changed to missing. I'm putting the MPU on it. Samantha, it would be advisable if you pay them a visit shortly." Paula smiled weakly at the trio before leaving the office.

Sam didn't bother to look at Amanda and Josh before she fled to the bathroom. Ten minutes later, she was leaning against the door to the bathroom having expelled her breakfast. She glanced down the hallway, in the direction of the elevators, picturing Jack walking out of them and into the office. As the image passed she took a deep breath and headed in the direction of the elevators, intent on making the trip to the MPU.

Sam took the cautious steps out of the elevator and around the familiar, yet unknown world that was the Missing Person's Unit.

"Samantha Malone?" A tall Latino man walked up to her.

"Um, yeah." Sam responded.

"Danny Taylor. We're working on bringing your husband back." He smiled at her as he spoke. "Come with me and I'll introduce you too everyone." He lead her into yet another office that was a carbon copy of the one she lived and worked on.

Sam looked around the office as she entered. At the four main desks agents were on the phone pulling in favors, analyzing phone records and bank statements. There was a middle aged African-American woman standing in front of a whiteboard, looking at the photo of Jack. At the conference table, a man and a woman were cross-referencing records, laughing at something as they worked. Finally, there was a man sitting with his back to Samantha on the phone.

"Okay team, this is Samantha Malone, the wife of Jack Malone. She'll be helping us." Danny began the introductions. The team turned and looked around as Danny spoke. "That is Vivian Johnson our team leader," he indicated the woman at the whiteboard, "over there is Kelly Preston and Michael Schmidt," he indicated the couple at the conference table, "and finally Martin Fitzgerald." He indicated the man who had his desk to Sam and Danny.

"Fitzgerald as in Deputy Director Fitzgerald?" Sam asked.

"Unfortunately yeah." He smiled at her briefly.

Sam had a sudden flashback to the dream she'd had that night. He was the guy at the beach!

"Okay, do we call you Samantha, Sam, Mrs. Malone, Agent Spade, what?" Vivian asked her.

"Samantha will do fine." She tried to smile but could feel the fakeness of it and was fairly certain Vivian saw it too.

"Well, at this stage, anything that you have to tell us about the last couple of days could be helpful." Vivian smiled. She reminded her of Amanda, kind and honest with maternal qualities that made her easy to talk too.

"I don't think I'll have anything but I'll try." Sam didn't sound very convincing.

"That's what everyone says." Danny chuckled as he walked to his desk.

"Could you join me in my office and we'll talk." Vivian pointed in the direction of her office.


	3. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER TWO**

Sam sat in Vivian's office giving her view on the past couple of days with Jack. Nothing could have prepared her for what was happening. She knew their lives were dangerous, particularly the cases they worked.

"Mario Rodriguez." Vivian looked at Sam as she spoke.

"What about him?" Sam asked.

"Tell me about the case VCU worked on." Vivian responded.

"Mario Rodriguez is a Cuban drug smuggler, primarily. He's also been involved in several cop killings in New York, and rapes." Sam began. She hated talking about Rodriguez because he was a vile and disgusting man who, just standing in the same room made you cringe.

"We got a case on him when a woman was found raped and slaughtered in Central Park. Because of the nature of the attack we linked it to Rodriguez through previous rapes in this city and in Miami. We thought we had him when it was discovered that most of the evidence that we had, Jack had broken into his house without a warrant to obtain."

"That's why he's in DC." Vivian questioned.

Sam nodded weakly hating to admit that what her husband had done was wrong.

"I'm sorry but what does this have to do with Jack missing?" She looked at Vivian feeling a sense of anger and frustration at the woman.

"I'm simply looking into the cases from your angle." She responded.

"In that case you could read the file." Sam knew that she was pushing this woman with her tone, but wanted to show her frustration.

Vivian just looked at her blankly. Sam dropped her head to examine her feet, answering the rest of Vivian's questions in the same position until they were interrupted by Martin who had found a strong lead.

Sam watched through the glass door as Martin spoke with Vivian, every so often, one of them would glance into the room to look at her.

"And you're certain that Rodriguez has him?" Vivian asked Martin.

"Positive. The camera from the Malone's apartment shows Jack exiting the building, being approached by a man, and then pushed into Rodriguez's car." Martin explained.

Sam attempted to lip-read what was being said, but found it much more difficult considering Vivian had her hand over her mouth and Martin was turned partially away from her.

"If that's the case we're going to have to protect Samantha." Vivian said thinking.

"I also found a series of phone calls to and from the Malone's apartment, all of them lasting over thirty minutes and the person being contacted, Mikey Stanza." Martin held up a file for Vivian to read.

"And Mikey is?" Vivian questioned.

"Mario Rodriguez right hand man." Martin explained.

Sam gave up on the lip-reading, instead turning her head around Vivian's office. The desk was cluttered with files, pens and photos of her family. Sam felt a small tear leave her right eye as she gazed at the picture of Vivian with her son.

"I also discovered a series of payments, both direct cash withdrawals and wirings to various accounts registered to Rodriguez." Martin continued. Vivian looked at him shocked.

"Jack Malone, one of the most well respected agents in this building, the deep source for Rodriguez." Vivian asked him stunned. "I'm sorry I don't believe it." She shook her head, looking through the window at Sam.

Sam was now holding the picture in her hands. It was a meager head shot of the two. They were smiling at the camera, big cheesy grins displaying all their teeth and how wide their mouths could go.

Flashback

_Sam was sitting on her bed crying, gazing out the window. She couldn't believe it had happened again. They'd been married for close to a year, she was so happy when she found out and now that joy had been ripped cruelly from her body._

_She silenced her tears and sobs when she heard the jingling of keys, and the realization that her husband was home. She pulled a tissue from the box, wiped her eyes, then proceeded out to welcome him._

_"Hello?" He called as he walked through the door as Sam entered the main room._

_"I'm in here." She called from the kitchen she was now in. She placed her self at the sink, beginning to work on the lasagna dish that she still hadn't cleaned from the night before._

_"What are you doing in the kitchen?" He asked as he rounded the corner._

_"Well, last night, Veronica and her husband Jake stopped by and I decided to make something I actually knew how to cook, so I whipped out the old lasagna dish and got to work. I just forgot to clean it." She didn't look at him as she spoke._

_"You okay?" He asked walking up to her and placing his arms around her waist._

_"Yeah, just a bit tired. You've missed a lot this past week." She turned off the tap and began scrubbing the dish._

_"I bet I have. Then again I hate LA. The heat this time of year, it's appalling." He kissed her neck softly._

_"Yeah well I'd still prefer to live there, especially in winter." Sam was intent on not looking at him so that he could see the hurt she had been through._

_"You sure you're okay?" He asked her, moving his body to lean against the counter so that he could see her face. "You've been crying." He brought a hand up to her face, touching the areas that were wet._

_"It's nothing." She stopped what she was doing, discarded the gloves and left the room._

_"Talk to me Sam." He called after her, following her out. "Sam." He stopped when he entered the main room. She was leaning against the door to the balcony._

_"There's nothing you can say." She whispered._

End Flashback

"Viv?" Kelly Preston walked up to her and Michael. "Martin, you know the cash trail you found?" She looked at Martin as she joined them. Martin nodded his head curiously at her.

The movement outside caused Sam to look up. She watched as Kelly joined Vivian and Martin for a moment. She saw the looks that the trio gave her as they spoke.

"I've been looking over the footage from the Malone's apartment building, three times in the past week; Jack has been caught with Mario Rodriguez." Kelly handed a photo printout from the security footage to Vivian.

"You believe it now?" Martin asked Vivian.

Vivian looked up from the photo slowly; the look in her eyes an indication that she did indeed believe it. "Wish me luck." She sighed walking back into her office.


	4. Chapter 3

THREE

Sam felt sick. There was no way in hell that what these people were saying to her was true. Jack wasn't a traitor, he just wasn't like that. He would never betray the people that he loved and worked with and for.

"Samantha, we have a cash trail between your husband and Rodriguez. We have security footage from outside your apartment building where they are both talking peacefully and giving each other lifts." Vivian explained.

"It's not true." Sam kept repeating to herself quietly.

"You know, I have to say something." Kelly spoke as she and Martin returned to the bullpen. Martin looked at her blankly.

"You're the type of guy who always has to save someone from something, and somehow I can see Samantha as being your next target." Martin looked at her appalled that she would even suggest such a thing.

"Okay, first off I do not have to save people other than those in my job, and secondly, she's married. I'm not that stupid." He quickened his pace. Kelly followed him with her eyes, wondering.

"Jack Malone is becoming more and more of a bad guy." Danny sighed as Martin approached the conference table.

"What, having friendly chats with someone he's supposed to be putting in jail isn't enough for you?" Martin joked.

"I'm serious, it's like every single uber bad person that VCU has investigated, somehow he's been linked to them and the team hasn't found out." Danny indicated a number of boxes stacked on his desk. "Those are all the case files Malone's been involved in as a Supervisory Agent, which it must be added has been for three years."

"What would push a man like that to work for the bad guys?" Michael asked him from his desk.

"Anything, money, drugs." Martin responded.

"You know when I was working in Boston, there was a case I worked on there similar to this one." Kelly spoke. "He worked for a big time company, was married and had three kids. One day when he was meant to go to Vegas for a conference, he was gone. As we looked into it we discovered that he had a wife in Los Angeles and every time he went to visit the wife in LA he told her he was going to New York, same for the other wife. When we found him he'd been killed by the drug lord brother of his LA wife." Kelly finished.

"Hopefully that isn't the case here." Danny mumbled.

Samantha sat in the break room a cup of cold coffee in front of her. She had been waiting for hours to learn whether or not Jack had been abducted or left willingly. She realized that the lights in the office were being turned on, a sign that night was setting in.

"You should go home." She heard a voice from behind her. She didn't need to turn to see who spoke because he was walking past the table she sat at as she looked up.

"I can't go home, not until I know what happened." She looked at Martin as he poured some coffee into his mug.

He turned to look at her, his look told her that he was having an argument with himself. "What do you know?" She asked him desperately.

He sighed heavily and sat in the chair opposite her. "Samantha, I'm not supposed to be telling you this, but it looks like Jack left the airport willingly." He looked directly at her.

"Martin isn't it?" She questioned, taking a breath to calm herself. He nodded weakly. "Martin, Jack would never do a thing like that. He loves his job, he loves saving people." She pleaded with him to believe that Jack wasn't the man they had discovered him to be.

"Our investigation says otherwise." He looked down as he spoke.

"There you are." Vivian sighed as she entered the break room. "Samantha, we just got a call from Rodriguez." She said sitting down beside Sam who looked up at her hopefully. Martin took a mouthful of his coffee as he stood and left the room.

"We think Jack may come after you, but in order to protect you,"

"Jack would never hurt me." Sam interrupted Vivian. Vivian smiled weakly.

"He might not, but Rodriguez will, and we want to protect you. I'll be having your apartment under surveillance until the threat passes." Vivian tried to sound as calm as possible, with the knowledge that she had just leant, Samantha's life might be at risk.

Sam sat on her balcony, staring down at the street and the van she knew had all the surveillance outlets. She considered waving to one of the strategically placed cameras but thought otherwise.

The sound of the doorbell made her suddenly think about the coldness that was evident outside and how much warmer it was inside.

"Amanda?" She looked at the woman facing her.

"When you didn't come back up I knew you must have been upset, and I know what you're like when you're upset so I brought some Chinese." She held up the bag she was holding.

"Oh thank you but you really didn't have to do all that." Sam stood aside to allow the woman into her apartment.

I can only stay for half an hour unfortunately." She said dropping the bag on the kitchen table.

"Why?" Sam asked grabbing a pair of plates and glasses, a part of her knowing the reason.

"I think you know the reason." Amanda almost looked down her nose at Sam.

"Vivian Johnson, the supervisory agent for the MPU, she told me about Jack, how it looks like he's working with Rodriguez." Sam sighed sitting down.

"What? Jack would never." Amanda exclaimed, sitting at the table opposite Sam.

"But the thing is, that the more I go over in my head what she told me, the more I start thinking about all the times in the middle of then night he would get up and I would hear him on the phone for hours. And when we'd get calls and he would disappear into the study or onto the balcony." Sam was losing her appetite with every thought about Jack's betrayal; not that she'd had a particularly large appetite before Amanda arrived.

Amanda sat silent. She didn't know whether to tell Sam to stop thinking over the conversation with Agent Johnson and all the moments of uncertainty she was now feeling, or just remain silent.

The ringing of the phone broke both women out of the silence they had unknowingly found themselves in. Sam was instantly at the phone answering, hoping it was Jack. If it was she would berate him until he came clean about everything.

"Samantha Spade, or is it Samantha Malone? Or can I just call you Sam?" A voice that she didn't recognize asked her in a menacing tone.

"Who is this? What do you want?" Sam asked the phone.

"Who I am isn't of your concern. But I will say that you're looking so unbelievable attractive right now, your hair falling around your shoulders, perfectly framing your face." Sam instantly looked out the windows feeling unbelievably frightened. "Scared you did I?" The voice chuckled.

"What do you want?" Sam asked the voice again, this time her voice shaking.

"Nothing, just to let you know that I know what your little FBI friends are doing right now, tracking my call but they wont find me, I'm smarter than that, i Sammy. /i "

"Mario Rodriguez?" Sam asked uncertainly. Amanda's expression instantly changed. She had been watching Sam walk around the apartment in a nervous fit on the phone, but hearing Sam say his name sent a horrifying chill down her spine.

"Oh damn." His tone was patronizing but filled with menace. "But you're smarter than Jack ever depicted you to be." He laughed lightly. "It was nice chatting."

Sam felt her knees give way as the line went dead. Suddenly, all the emotions and feelings she held towards her husband were changed. She felt angry and furious at her husband's deception. She felt her eyes fill with tears, not because she was sad, but because she was furious.

"How could he?" She mumbled as between sobs.

Amanda lowered herself to Sam's level. "Sam, tell me what happened." She soothed to her.

"It's true, it's all true. Jack's a liar and a deceiver." She spat not looking at Amanda. "If you don't mind I'd rather be alone right now." She still didn't look at Amanda but she held back the spite.

Amanda reluctantly stood and left. Sam reached for the phone that she'd dropped. "You bastards." She shouted knowing that there were at least half a dozen people in the van on the street below who had just heard the entire conversation with Rodriguez.


	5. Chapter 4

FOUR

Martin was one of the many Federal agents who had heard Sam's blasting. He had also heard everything that Rodriguez had said to Sam, and everyone in the van was furious when he indeed proved to be unfindable.

"So we don't know whether Rodriguez has Jack or not." Vivian was obviously frustrated that the call was untraceable and he was glad that she was in the office rather than in the van.

"Yeah that's pretty much the case." Martin sighed rubbing his eyes. He found his way to the back of the van, opened the door and allowed himself into the cool New York air.

"Do we know how Samantha's taking it?" Vivian asked him. Martin could just picture her in her office, holding the phone up to her ear, holding her head with her other hand.

"Not well." Martin sighed remembering Sam's reaction.

"Get Samantha to come in." Vivian sighed.

"What now? Viv it's nearly 10.30." Martin was shocked by Viv's proposal.

"I know what the damn time is Martin. What I also know is that Rodriguez is close to Sam."

"We checked the neighboring buildings. He must have a telescope trained on her from a distance because we didn't find him."

"What is it with you and anything extra-terrestrial?" Vivian joked half-heartedly. "Have we got people looking into that theory?" She asked in all seriousness.

"Yeah we do, but I've been told that it's going to be easier in daylight or if they get views from the apartment."

"Martin, just get Samantha out of her apartment. She can stay with one of us for the night." Vivian had hung up before Martin had a chance to retort.

"What did Viv say?" Danny asked jumping out of the van, water bottle in hand.

"She wants us to bring Samantha in; she wants her to stay with one of us." Martin sighed as Danny took a mouthful.

"Just your luck." Danny said to himself.

"What was that?" Martin asked hearing Danny.

"Nothing." Danny responded innocently.

Martin looked at him knowing that he was lying. "I'm going up to get her." Martin turned and headed for her building.

"Good luck; nothing like a woman scorned." Martin chose to ignore Danny, but knew that what he was about to do was going to be hard.

"Samantha?" He knocked on her door calling her name.

"What?" She spat as she opened the door. Her eyes were bloodshot, the skin around them red. Her hair was messy; she generally looked a mess.

"I know you're not going to like this but we want to bring you in, for your own protection." He enforced when she turned away from him.

"What, and where would I sleep in the office?" She asked him scornfully.

"You can stay with one of us." Martin responded.

"I don't need people's charity." Sam leaned against one of the walls.

"Samantha, my boss is going to hate me for saying this, but the call that we got from Rodriguez we got earlier today, he said that Jack betrayed him, and you and I both know what that man does to people who betray him and their families." Sam looked up to the roof as he spoke, pain filling her.

"I just don't think I can live with the knowledge that my husband, a highly placed Federal officer, has been working for the enemy for so long." She sighed.

"It's for your own protection." Martin enforced. She nodded her head lightly, grabbing her coat as they walked out.

She stepped in front of him, his hand gently on her back, guiding her out of the building. She glanced at him quickly. The rest of the journey out of the building was silent.

"What are we going to do Viv?" Michael was standing in Vivian's office after hearing her plan for Samantha.

"Send her home with one of us. I would but Marcus's parents are staying with us for the week and I don't have a spare room." She sighed.

"What about Kelly?" Michael asked.

"Kelly Preston lives with three girlfriends, I hardly think that Samantha will want to go home to that." Vivian smiled lightly suddenly realizing that her plan wasn't as brilliant, well it never was brilliant to start with.

"Martin's the only one who can look after her and will take care of her." Michael sighed.

"Why?" Vivian asked.

"Because Danny's apartment, have you ever been there? That place is a ticking time bomb of bad stuff. Dirty laundry everywhere, I'm certain that he shops for clothes everyday." Michael chuckled. "And I have a wife and three kids under the age of six." He finished.

Martin walked in with Samantha as Vivian and Michael finished talking. "That will be all Michael." She smiled at him as he left.

"Okay I've done some thinking since I talked to you Martin, and it would be advisable if Sam you stayed with Martin because he'll have the quietest and cleanest place out of all of us." Sam nodded meekly. "But before you leave, Martin could I talk to you for a minute." Sam realized she was being asked to leave. She left and found herself a chair in the hallway.

"Martin, I just got sent an email by our lovely friend Mario Rodriguez." She began, Martin taking a seat in front of her desk. "I'm starting to think that Rodriguez i wants /i us to believe that Jack is being held hostage." She explained turning her computer around.

"What do you mean." Martin asked looking at the frame Vivian had paused a video.

"Listen." She pressed the play button with her mouse.

i "My dear FBI Agents who are looking for Jack Malone. Good luck. We're looking after him, he's said some things that have not gone unnoticed by myself and he and his family shall pay the price. Five million dollars are to be left in the Malone apartment seeing as how you have just removed her from the premises; but don't worry, I will find her too." /i 

"That mumbling there." Vivian said as Rodriguez's voice finished. "I got tech to upgrade it, listen to this."

i "….sure this will work?"

"The Feds will think that we're holding Malone hostage in order to get money. Malone has a wife with two kids in Chicago he wants to return to and little Sammy is getting in the way of that." /i 

"This is why I need someone looking out for Samantha." Vivian sighed as the tape finished.

"What are you going to tell Samantha?" Martin looked up at Vivian.

"The truth."


	6. Chapter 5

FIVE

"It's nothing special really." Martin opened the door for Sam, who entered his dark apartment slowly before he flicked the light switch.

Sam cast her eye over the apartment, as though she was investigating Martin for some reason or other. It was plain, all the walls where white, there was little furniture, but on the few pieces of furniture, such as the coffee table, the mantelpiece, and the desk against the side wall, there were numerous photo frames.

"Martin what's the real reason, Agent, Vivian wanted me to stay here?" Sam turned to look at him. It was the first time she had really spoken since they left the Federal Building.

Throughout the drive to Martin's she had blankly looked out the window, trying to force herself to not believe all the evidence that the MPU had discovered concerning her husband. It was all too much.

"The real reason is that Rodriguez called you, knowing where you lived, your name, and he threatened you. We just want you to be safe." Martin responded matter-of-factly, entering the kitchen and serving the Chinese he'd picked up on his way home.

"That's it?" Sam asked him, looking at one of the photos. It was with him and two other women, who she assumed, judging by the smiles, where his sister's.

"Well, Vivian has her parents in-law staying plus she has a teenage son; Danny, well, it's a wonder he has so many girls; Michael has three young kids, and Kelly lives with a couple of college friends who are completely plastic. She set me up with both of them." Martin added seeing the look on Sam's face. "Me and my sister's, Angela and Olivia." Martin said to Sam when he saw her looking at the photo.

"I noticed; their smiles are the same as yours." She felt her cheeks redden as she spoke.

"Yeah that's from my mom. All the looks are Mom's. Don't really know what I got from Dad, maybe my ears." Martin chuckled. Sam looked up at him.

"Can I use your bathroom?" She asked quietly.

"Sure, first on your right down the hall." Martin looked at her, feeling himself get lost in her eyes for a second. Sam blushed slightly before hastening in the direction Martin had given her.

"Martin Fitzgerald, she might have just learnt that her husband's a bad dude, but she's still married." He said to himself quietly, when he assumed she was out of earshot.

As Sam entered the hallway, opposite the one she had entered from, instead of heading for the room Martin had directed her in, she found her feet carrying her to the end of the hallway where she could see the end of a bed. She pushed the door open slightly revealing a room that had a little more character than the rest of the apartment.

The carpet was now a dark blue, but the walls where still white. The curtains were drawn and one window was open allowing cool air to flow through the room. On one side of the door was a large chest of drawers, and on the other a wardrobe. Without thinking she found herself opening the wardrobe, looking through his clothes.

Martin was sitting on the sofa, feasting on the lemon chicken that they had ordered double of because they both loved it. He was about to start on the black bean beef when her realized that Sam had been gone for a close to ten minutes. He stood, placing the box on the coffee table and headed for the bathroom. He was about to knock when he noticed his bedroom door was wide open.

Slowly he walked down the hallway, stopping when he reached the doorway. Sam was sitting on the bed, her back to him, looking out the window. From the muffled sounds that were coming from her, he realized she was crying.

"You okay?" He asked quietly.

At the sound of his voice she jumped up and turned to face him like a stunned animal. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean," she began quickly.

"Don't worry about it." Martin smiled, waving his arm. "I've got nothing to hide."

Sam looked down, not truly believing that he was okay with her going through his bedroom, or clothes, especially given that she was holding one of his suits.

"I, um, Jack has the same suit. Of course yours is smaller, but, I was just looking at it, and, I'm sorry I was looking through your clothes, but, this was Jack's favorite, at least one of his favorites and I was looking at it and I realized, that whenever I next see him, all I'll want to do, is kill him." She looked up at Martin who had taken a few steps towards her, standing on the opposite side of the bed to her.

"That's an expected reaction." Martin said quietly, not wanting to upset her.

They stood there, facing each other, in silence for a few minutes. "Do you want to come and eat now?" Martin asked pointing over his shoulder.

Sam nodded weakly. "I'll put this back." She said quietly, walking past him.

Martin watched her before leading her back to the main room where they eat their Chinese and watched some TV for a couple of hours.

"You have two options." Martin sighed as he re-entered the room after cleaning up. Sam was lying back on the sofa, obviously tired. "You can either sleep in here on the couch, or you can sleep on the extremely uncomfortable bed, at least I say is uncomfortable, but one of my college buddies says is extremely comfortable." Martin sat on the couch beside her.

Sam nodded in understanding. "I know this is going to sound intrusive but I don't think I can handle being alone tonight." She whispered looking at him.

Martin looked down at the couch, at the space between them. "Okay." He looked up at her slowly after a few moments pause.

"If you don't want me to I'll sleep on the couch." Sam spoke at her usual tone.

"No, no, it's okay. I'll let you get changed first though." He smiled weakly standing to get her some clothes.

"I have nothing of mine though." She watched him curiously as he stood.

"I have a hundred old shirts and sweatpants that you can wear." He smiled at her. "Someone will go round to your place tomorrow to get you some clothes for as long as you'll be staying here." Martin said trying to make her feel better.

Sam watched him leave the room. She really could handle sleeping on the couch, but a part of her just wanted to feel safe, safe with him. Part of her wanted to get back at Jack for his deception.

Martin was tall, handsome, and had a pair of stunning blue eyes that she wouldn't mind waking up to on a regular basis. Wait, Samantha Spade has feelings for a man she's only just met? No, she thought, that can't be happening.

But as he re-entered the room with the pants and shirt, she knew that the flutterings in her stomach weren't fear or dread, they were the flutterings a woman usually got when she was in high school and talking to the guy she liked.

"You can change in the bathroom off the bedroom." He smiled handing her the clothes.

She couldn't look at him, knowing that if she did, her cheeks would go bright red. She quickly walked into the bathroom, shutting the door and leaning against it breathing heavily. She heard Martin enter the bedroom and the unmistakable sounds of him getting changed.

Her mind started to run wild as she listened to him through the door. "Why is my brain doing this?" She whispered to herself, trying to get changed and not have images flash through her brain as she heard the sound of a zipper.

She somehow managed to get changed when the sounds of him died down. When she had changed she looked at herself in the mirror, trying to work out how to wear her hair. She dropped her hands to the bench trying to stop herself from impressing a man when she was married.

With one last deep breath, composing herself, she grabbed hold of the door handle and entered the bedroom.

Martin looked up at her as she entered, smiling weakly. She found it hard to look at him with a straight face without the images that had been racing through her brain so vividly a few minutes earlier returning.

Martin felt his breath catch in his throat. He hated being attracted to a woman who was married; that was the ultimate no-no in his love and relationship handbook. The shirt she was wearing was from his first year of college, and since then he had grown, a lot. The shirt, even though it was too big for her, still allowed him to see her features, and it was long enough that she almost didn't need to wear to pants.

But it was a cold night and he didn't want her to freeze. Maybe if they had been dating for a couple of months she wouldn't be wearing the pants.

She placed her clothes on an empty chair that was sitting beside the door, approached the bed, and covered herself in the blankets and sheets.

She looked up at Martin, trying to ask him with her mind to hold her, but knew that that was only wishful thinking.

"Goodnight." Martin croaked trying to compose himself. He reached for the light beside him and clicked it off.

"Goodnight." Sam whispered, closing her eyes as the room went black, still wishfully asking Martin to hold her, even though he had his back to her.


	7. Chapter 6

SIX

The sound of a neighboring alarm woke Sam as a cool blue filled the room, an indication to Sam that the sun was yet to rise. It took her a few moments to remember where she was as she opened her eyes. She was used to waking up to a window, and now was looking at a wall with a series of paintings and a door.

She looked down her body. A hand that definitely wasn't Jack's made her remember where she was. Martin was pressed against her, still sleeping soundly. Luckily for Sam the alarm had stopped ringing so she could spend a few hours watching Martin sleep.

He was so warm. Jack would often snuggle against her, but this warmth, coming from Martin was different. It didn't feel foreign which Sam almost expected to feel like.

As she moved so that she was facing him, his hands moved, wrapping her tighter. She looked down at her waist, the shirt she was wearing had risen and Martin's thumb was lightly tracing the skin. It was this movement that made her believe he was awake. She looked back up to his face; his head was tipped slightly so she couldn't really see his eyes. Instead she allowed herself to watch him, before her eyes once again became heavy and she fell back asleep.

Martin opened his eyes to see a peaceful Sam sleeping in front of him. A few strands of hair over her eyes were driving him crazy. As gently as he could without waking her, he pushed the hairs away and behind her ear. She shifted her position slightly, keeping her eyes closed.

Martin found it hard to leave his bed, but the need for food was powering his feet. Reluctantly he eased himself out of Sam's grip, so not to wake her. He crossed the room with silent feet, opening and closing door so he wouldn't wake her.

As he walked down the hall he decided he'd make an effort for breakfast, even though he had to be at work in an hour and really didn't have time.

As he entered the kitchen he heard the unmistakable sounds of a phone, but they were muffled. He realized that his phone was in his room and probably waking Sam up.

Sam jumped as the noise of a phone filled the room. Opening her eyes, she was glad that the light in the room was brighter and more yellow then earlier, but she was disappointed that she was alone.

As she sat up, the door burst open and Martin appeared running for his phone.

"Fitzgerald." He answered smiling at her apologetically.

"Really? Yeah okay. Sure I will. Okay, sure, yeah, bye." Sam was surprised by the quick phone call.

"My boss, because you're here and she wants you safe I'm not expected in today, i but /i if I do go in your to come along." Martin turned to face her.

She nodded her head, her mind racing that she was going to spend the day alone with him.

"What would you like for breakfast?" He asked turning away from her, finding his phone charger and connecting his phone.

"I'm not really that hungry." Sam admitted smiling weakly.

"Well you have to eat something. Anything, pancakes, eggs anything." Martin didn't move from where he was standing almost as though he was afraid something would happen if he moved.

"You're prepared to cook for me?" Sam asked turning her head slightly.

If Martin was prepared to cook breakfast for her, could that mean that he liked her too? She'd had that dream again, lying on the beach and Martin came up and kissed her. She remembered the sensations on her back as he had touched it. This time, she didn't wake up when he kissed her.

She tried to think back to the moment she first saw him. She realized that it was before Jack went missing but couldn't pin the exact moment.

Flashback

Sam sprinted into the Federal Building, more to escape the rain than because she was late, 'stupid morning sickness' she thought to herself as she sprinted for the elevators, rounding the corner as a man entered one.

"Hold the elevator." She called, panting as she entered the elevator.

"You okay?" The man asked her casually as she attempted to regain her breath.

"I'd be better if it wasn't raining, even then I'd be running." Sam panted finally catching her breath.

"Late are you?" He asked taking a mouthful of the coffee she now realized he was holding.

"You're walking a thin line there, Martin?" Sam looked at his id hanging off his jacket pocket.

"Really, how?" Martin asked her taking another mouthful of coffee.

"I'm a coffee addict. My husband once said that he bought a jar of coffee, one evening after work, he never saw it again." She chuckled, not noticing Martin's face fall slightly.

"Well this is my stop." Martin sighed as the elevator came to a stop and the door's opened.

"Have a nice day." Sam smiled, watching him leave, then staring at her own reflection as the door's shut. The reflection she saw, there was a little twitch in her smile that she only ever knew was there when she was around her husband. Luckily for her, she probably wouldn't see Martin again, and Jack was due home in a few days.

End Flashback

Yes, Sam thought to herself. That day was the first time she could actually remember having a conversation with him.

"Whenever someone stays here I always cook breakfast." Martin said quickly avoiding her gaze."

The sound of Martin's voice broke her thinking pattern.

"What do you recommend?" She asked him standing.

"Pancakes because then I can settle this craving I'm currently having." He chuckled watching her walk over to him.

Sam sat on the kitchen counter, swinging her feet ever so slightly as she ate the plate full of pancakes.

"I'm sorry Martin but I assure you I won't be able to eat all those." She had told Martin as he handed her the plate of 8 large and stacked pancakes.

He had simply smiled at her, telling her that once she took one mouthful she wouldn't be able to stop. And he was right.

She had drizzled some maple syrup over the pile and after one, mouthful; she now estimated that she had about 2 left. She knew that once she'd finish, she'd be feeling very sick and full and probably wouldn't eat for the rest of the day.

"So you never told him you were pregnant?" Martin asked her stunned. As he had made the pancakes and through their eating, they had made small talk and somewhere along the line she had dropped that she miscarried, not that long ago, and had never told Jack.

"Well I found out the day he went to LA for a conference between various Violent Crime Units. I made the decision to wait until he got home to tell him, but the day before he was due home I had a miscarriage." Sam explained, surprised when she felt no emotion whilst telling her story. "No one in the office knows, I wanted Jack to be the first to know." She added taking the second-last mouthful of pancakes.

Martin had already finished his pancakes and was now focusing on swallowing the orange juice in the glass beside him. He was sitting at the table, watching Sam. He was stunned that she told the story of her miscarriage with no sign of emotion.

"Can I ask you something?" Sam asked him placing the now empty plate on the counter beside her. He felt rather proud that she'd eaten all the pancakes.

"Sure." Martin shrugged.

"When Jack is found, what will happen to him?" She didn't know how to ask him, choosing her words carefully and avoiding looking at him until she finished talking.

"I think you know what will happen." Martin responded quietly.

Sam felt her head drop a little. She realized what she had to do, she had to get Jack out of her life, and the first step there was ending her relationship with him.

"Could you take me downtown?" She asked him jumping off the counter.

"It would be preferable not to, but it depends. What do you need?" He downed the rest of his juice, leaving the glass in the sink.

"I need to see my lawyer." She hoped that was enough for him to take her downtown.

"Kelly was stopping by your apartment this morning to get you some clothes. How about we wait until she comes by and then we'll go." Martin watched her walk out of the kitchen.

"I want to get a divorce from my husband, and I want to know that it's being set up sooner rather than later." She responded not looking back. "I don't care if that means I wear the same clothes as I did yesterday." She called from the hallway.

Martin could understand her determination, but knew that he wasn't going to be able to change her mind.


	8. Chapter 7

SEVEN

Martin was bored. But then who wouldn't be sitting in the reception room of a highly unbusy law service. Sam had arrived, managed to steal an hour with Patrick Schmidt; an hour that was now close to two.

Sam had spent the entire car trip in silence, her hair down and sunglasses on so that no-one could recognize her. All she had been thinking about was escaping him. Jack's betrayal had hurt her too much. Never mind the fact that she was beginning to feel something for Martin and a part of her wanted to be with him, she had to allow herself to be free of him.

Martin stared up at the ceiling, thinking of different scenarios of life. He kept trying to force his eyes to see through the walls around him, and see her. He couldn't believe he was doing it again.

One of the reason's he'd left Seattle was because he started to have feelings for one of his neighbors, and it didn't help that she was married and had a twin toddlers. Sure he could have easily moved, but at the time he felt he couldn't do that with the knowledge that he could still see her at any moment.

Getting the transfer to New York was one of the best things that could have happened to him. He'd managed to erase the feelings, and was now certain that if he ever saw her today, he would simply smile, say hello and that would be it.

Sam sat in Schmidt's office, waiting for him to return with the drafted papers. Her body was shaking with the knowledge that she was taking the first steps towards ending her union with Jack.

She'd been thinking about him in the car.

Flashback

They'd gone traditional. A beautiful wedding within one of the many beautiful churches in New York, surrounded by their closest friends and family.

Sam was now sitting at the bridal table in the reception hall. She couldn't wipe the smile from her face as she spoke with her sister. Sam was so happy that her sister and her mother had come to her wedding. It meant so much to her.

She turned her head and looked up as she heard Jack clear his throat.

"I know I'm not meant to offer a speech, at least yet, but I just wanted to say, that Samantha, before you, my idea of marriage was a life of arguing and bitterness. But somehow you have changed that, even though we have only been married for three hours." A light laugh went round the room. "I guess I just wanted to tell you Samantha, don't expect me to go anywhere, run away with my receptionist; Judy, I'm sorry." He looked out to the room, at a table that had most of their colleagues. The eldest on the table, a woman who appeared to be in her early 40's raised her glass and smiled.

"I'm here for the long haul Sam." Jack went on. "Everyone in the room can know, that I would never do anything to hurt Sam, or the people in this room." Jack leaned down and softly kissed Sam as she wiped a tear from her eye.

End Flashback

She had felt bile rise in her throat as the memory had entered her conscious thought, swallowing on a number of occasions to keep it down.

"Here we go Samantha." The man re-entered his office, immediately heading for his desk. "Now you do understand that this is a draft and that you will have to come back in a week to collect the final papers?" He placed a manila folder on his desk, opening it and handing her the first few pages.

"I do understand." Sam sighed. "I just want this whole business over." She moaned looking over the first page.

"Now I must say that I am dreadfully sorry about this, but I'm expected in court in half an hour so I must dash." He said standing.

"I'm just glad you had time to see me." Sam smiled lightly as she gave him back the papers, he stored them in the folder before handing the folder back to her.

"These are copies. Read over them so you know what you're in for and I'll see you in a week. You can make an appointment with Jacinta on your way out." He showed her to the door, briefcase in hand.

Sam walked ahead of him down the hallway in the direction of the reception area. She gave a little wave to Patrick as he walked past in the direction of the elevators.

"That go well?" Martin asked her joining her at the counter as she made an appointment for the following week.

"Yeah, it did." She smiled, sharing a look with him a moment longer than would have otherwise been appropriate.

"11 o'clock next Tuesday." The woman smiled, writing it down on a card, handing it to Samantha, glancing at her and Martin.

"Thank you Jacinta." Sam smiled, leading Martin out. "Is it too dangerous for us to go for a walk in the park?" Sam asked as they waited for the elevator.

Martin glanced at her, a 'yes it is too dangerous' look on his face. Sam looked to the floor a little disappointment. "Any other time I'd say sure, but until we have Jack and Rodriguez, and anyone else that might hurt you, it's not safe." Martin apologized.

"That's okay. As long as I can borrow a movie, because I saw all the movies that you have and I must say I'm not really that interested." They entered the elevator as Sam spoke, but she slowed down dramatically when she saw someone through the closing doors.

"You okay?" Martin asked her as the elevator began moving, not really caring that she insulted his movie collection.

"I thought I saw someone." Sam whispered feeling a chill. She knew that man, she recognized him from somewhere but she couldn't pick it.

"What do you mean?" Martin asked her confused. There were a number of people down that hallway and on that floor.

"No I mean, someone who shouldn't be there. I know him from somewhere, I'm not sure whether it's from the office or from around my apartment, but I just don't believe it's a simple coincidence that we share the same lawyer." Sam looked at Martin. He could see the fear in her eyes and knew that now was not the time to get a movie.


	9. Chapter 8

EIGHT

Martin was glad that he had parked in the car park below the building, Sam's lawyer's offices were in. As they got out of the elevator, they quickly moved to the car, driving out just as quickly.

Sam didn't care about getting a movie that was decent any more. She maintained observations of her feet until she heard the car engine turn off, and Martin saying it was okay to get out.

Sitting on his couch now, watching some infomercial on some new skin-care range, Sam never felt safer. Seeing that man had startled her; her heart was still beating furiously, her breathing was still quick.

Martin, upon entering his apartment had immediately called in, telling Viv of what had happened at the lawyer's office. Vivian then told him that Kelly would stop buy within the hour with a change of clothes for Sam.

Martin stood in the doorway to the kitchen, staring at Sam. He could tell that she couldn't relax, that the man had scared her.

"Do you need a hand relaxing?" Martin asked her softly joining her on the couch.

Sam looked at him, not saying anything. "Come here." Martin whispered inviting her to slide over to him. She did slowly, unsure of what was going to happen, when she felt his hands on her shoulder's, she knew she was okay.

"Why is this happening?" She asked him quietly, as her heart rate and breathing returned to a level that was normal.

"Vivian was sending Michael and Danny out to Schmidt's to see why, on the pretense of course because Jack is missing." He added to calm her.

"When we were driving down there, a memory of our wedding day came to me. He promised me that he wouldn't do anything to hurt me or the people he loved. All I wanted to do when I remembered that was throw up." Martin listened to her, feeling her lean into him.

He knew that she was only doing it because she was relaxing, but it made it difficult for him to massage her shoulders. He stopped moving his hands, resting them on her shoulders.

Sam turned her head slightly so that she could see one of his hands. His hands were now just slowly moving sideways. She watched as he slowly moved them down, and then back up her arms.

She sat up, stopping his movements. She turned so that she could see him more clearly.

"I'm sorry." He whispered, looking away from her, resting his hands in his lap.

"Don't be." She whispered, causing him to look up at her. She smiled as he looked at her.

If it wasn't for the doorbell, she felt sure that she would have kissed him. Martin seemed to think the same thing because he was a little slow to stand and answer it.

"Hey I wasn't expecting you for a while." She heard him say.

"Yeah well, Viv told me to be quick so I was." She heard a woman's voice, realizing that it was Kelly.

"Well come on in." Martin stood aside so that Kelly could enter.

"Okay but I can't stay long." She smiled, entering with the large suitcase.

Sam stood as she heard the door click shut. She knew Kelly was bringing her clothes, but she was a little scared of what she might have brought her.

"Hi Samantha." Kelly smiled walking up to her and placing the suitcase on the floor. Sam smiled and waved lightly in greeting. "I hope what I brought for you is okay." She held her hands together as though she was afraid.

"I'm sure whatever you brought will be fine." Sam smiled, waving aside her fears.

"Okay, well, I do have to get back to the office, but before I do, Martin can I talk to you in private for a moment?" She turned her attention towards Martin.

"I'll take this and get changed, you two stay here." She said grabbing the suitcase and heading for Martin's room.

"What's up?" Martin asked Kelly once Sam had left.

"Okay, we ran the description of the guy Sam thought he saw, and she was right the second time. His name is Andrew Walters, and he got out of jail six months ago, having done time for sexual assault on five women, ten years ago. And why Sam would feel she knows him, is because all his victims looked similar, they all had blonde hair, were married and worked good, but strenuous and stressful jobs." Kelly handed him a file.

"Yeah this was the guy she must have seen." Martin mumbled as he recognized the photo. "This guy came in about a minute after Sam and I did, but she was already off with her lawyer. When she came back he turned his back so she couldn't see him." He continued remembering.

"We also have some more news on Jack and Rodriguez." Kelly continued, opening up her notebook she always carried so she could remember things. Martin looked up at her expectantly.

"You know that call that Samantha got last night, we were able to get a trace on it, but it took tech a while to get it. It came from a hotel on the other side of town," Kelly read off her notes, looking up at him every so often. "We got footage from the hotel, Jack was the one to book the room, he entered willingly, with no bags, then an hour later Rodriguez entered, with about five other men." Martin looked in the direction Sam had gone in.

"About three hours later, a man left who we never saw enter the room. We're thinking that Jack went there with Rodriguez to change his appearance and then disappear with a fake passport and id." Kelly finished.

"What about airport cameras?" Martin looked back at Kelly.

"When I get back to the office I'm hoping that they will have arrived." Martin knew what this meant. If Jack had left the hotel with false paper's he was going to be a lot harder to track down than if he was Jack Malone.

Sam lugged the suitcase up the hall, dropping it on the bed and opening it. She smiled at Kelly, the woman obviously had style. Her favorite shirt was in the case, her favorite bra, she smiled again as an image of her walking around the apartment in just the bra, and Martin's reaction. She shook her head at her naughtiness.

She decided that she was in the mood for trousers, so she changed into one of the many pairs of pants that Kelly had packed, and changed her top. The top she chose, generally she would wear something underneath, but a part of her told her now was not a time to do that, especially if she did continue with Martin what had happened before Kelly arrived.

As she finished changing, she did a brief play with her hair, closed up the suitcase, and headed back to the main room slowly.

"What about airport cameras?" She heard Martin ask Kelly, the tone of his voice made her worry.

"When I get back to the office I'm hoping that they will have arrived." Kelly responded.

"Well then I won't keep you for much longer." She heard Martin sigh.

She heard footsteps, he was obviously showing her to the door. When she heard the door close, she re-entered the main room.

Martin entered, slightly shaken by what he had just heard. He saw Sam and knew she was doing her best to re-start what had almost happened between them earlier.

"What was that about?" Sam asked him simply.

Martin looked at her, unsure of whether to tell her the truth, or say that she wasn't to know about it yet. She moved to sit on her knees on the couch facing him, resting her arms on the back of the couch and leaning against it, inviting him.

Martin blinked quickly. 'Damn I hate women.' He thought to himself.


	10. Chapter 9

NINE

Sam felt rather proud of herself. She'd gotten the exact reaction out of him that she was looking for. He was still trying to force himself to look at her face, although she kept on moving her head forward so that he could still find a distraction.

She still wanted to know why Martin was asking Kelly about Airport cameras. "Martin, are you going to tell me what you were talking about?" She asked him again.

The sound of her voice startled him back to reality. "What, um, oh yeah, right." He stuttered looking away from her and crossing the room, sitting at one of the chairs beside the couch.

"Jack was seen entering a hotel room, an hour later Rodriguez and some friends arrived, and three hours later a man who wasn't seen entering the room exited, so now we believe that Jack has changed his appearance and name and is going somewhere else, so that he won't be found." He realized the moment he finished speaking that he shouldn't have told her anything. 'Damn, women! Damn, damn, damn!' his thoughts exclaimed.

Samantha sat down properly on the couch, hating what Martin had just told her. Jack really was the man that they had all told her to be. She already knew that though, but obviously there was a small part of her that still didn't believe it.

They sat in silence. After a few moments Sam, stood walking up to the windows, crossing her arms and looking out.

Martin watched her. One of the windows was open, and the breeze was gently causing her hair to flutter around. His breath caught in his throat as he watched her, the light from outside framing her figure. She looked so beautiful, a part of him just wanted to walk up to her and kiss her, but he was smarter than that.

"Do you want something to eat?" He asked standing, not looking at her and instantly heading for the kitchen. "A sandwich or something?" He clarified.

"No thanks. I'm not that hungry." She admitted, turning to see his fleeting back enter the kitchen. She followed him in, leaning against the doorframe, watching as he rummaged through the fridge.

"Sure?" He looked up to see her, forgetting what he was doing for a moment, shaking his head and then continuing to rummage.

"A drink? Water, Soda?" He asked her, pulling a bottle of lemonade from the fridge.

"Whatever you're having." She smiled walking up to him, standing beside the fridge as he reached up to one of the cupboards above the counter, grabbing a couple of glasses.

He handed her the brimming glass without looking at her. She drank in silence, watching him make himself a sandwich.

"Martin?" She breathed, placing the half full glass on the kitchen table. He stopped what he was doing and slowly looked at her. "Thank you for doing all of this." She whispered, taking a step towards him.

He smiled weakly, looking back to his food and continuing the preparation. She looked down a little disappointed. For the past day, learning truths about Jack, Martin was starting to have an affect on her. Every time he smiled at her she felt a flutter in her stomach, every time she found herself getting lost in his eyes, she found her breathing increase. This morning, when she had woken up, when his fingers were on her skin, and she could feel his warmth against her, she could feel her heart thumping.

She wondered how many other women had felt the same way that she did. Martin was tall, brown, short hair, the cutest dimples Sam had ever seen; perfect, crystal blue eyes that when they were on you, felt like they were delving into you, a feature that made shudder whenever he looked at her; from what Sam could tell he took pride in his body, working out the right amount, to tone every muscle in his body, and ensure his fitness.

"Samantha?" Martin's voice startled her and she realized she was staring. "You're staring." He smiled when she didn't move.

She felt her cheeks heat up, and knew they were going red, so she turned her face away so that he couldn't see.

"I'm just going to the bathroom." She said, knowing she had to calm herself.

She quickly walked to Martin's bathroom, not really thinking that there was a bathroom closer to the bathroom. When she entered the bathroom, she shut the door, leaning against it, sliding down to the floor in a fit of hot flushes.

She knew she must have been sitting there for a while, so made the conscious effort to prove to Martin that she was alive. Slowly she returned to the main room, where Martin was sitting on the couch watching sport.

"Who's playing?" Sam asked entering the room a bit more to see what he was watching.

"The Knicks are playing Milwaukee." Martin responded taking a mouthful of his sandwich, not looking away from the screen, groaning in frustration as one team scored.

"Who's leading?" Sam asked joining him on the couch, sounding interested.

"Milwaukee is now." Martin mumbled through his mouthful.

"Ooo, good." Sam looked at the screen. "How much time is left?" She asked him jumping slightly as Milwaukee stole the ball.

"It's almost finished." Martin replied, watching the timer count down the remaining few minutes.

Martin glanced at her as she began to get more and more enwrapped in the final minutes of the game. He didn't know how he got lucky enough to have a beautiful woman, alone in his apartment, sitting beside him on his couch.

She turned her head feeling his eyes on her. She gave him a small smile. It was these small moments with her that Martin knew wouldn't last, but were the making of something….else.

The moment was once again broken, this time by the ringing of Martin's phone. "I'd better get that." He mumbled pointing in the direction the ringing was coming from.

Sam watched him he had his back to her most of the time, and she found ample enjoyment out of watching his ass than watching the game, already knowing that Milwaukee had an unattainable lead given the amount of time left, which was .1 of a second.

Martin found his phone, quickly answering. "Fitzgerald."

"Martin its Viv, follow up on the hotel. I had Kelly check it out, no-one has checked out, but the room's empty and cleaned up." Martin listened intently, glancing at Sam every so often. "Kelly's still looking over the airport footage, but so far he hasn't made an appearance."

"What about train and bus stations?" Martin asked.

"We're still looking into it. Danny and Michael didn't find anything contentious at Schmidt's offices, other than his partner has a tendency to overcharge when his gambling gets too much. Nothing really rock-solid." Vivian finished, knowing Martin would be disappointed.

"No I guess we don't. Well in that case we'll just hang tight here." Martin finished.

Sam had turned the TV off whilst he was talking, and was now standing in front of him. She spent most of her time there watching his lips, wondering what they would feel like to kiss.

"We've run out of leads." Martin sighed putting his phone down on the desk it was on.

Sam looked down at the floor briefly. "I know I should care," she began, "but I really don't." She looked up at him as she finished.

"Everyone's allowed to react to these kinds of situations in their own ways." Martin sighed watching her.

"I promised him on our wedding day, that I would love him forever." She sighed.

"The love that I felt for him, it wasn't an overnight thing, it wasn't even something that happened like that." She snapped her fingers as she spoke. "They were gradual. And you know what troubles me so much?" Martin shrugged. "The moment I discovered he had been lying to me for our entire marriage, I stopped. I stopped caring for him, stopped loving him." She looked back down at the floor.

"I should be expected to feel empty, or angry, but not how I do." She looked back at up at him. "I don't know why I feel like this because I don't even know you, but, hey, stranger things have happened." She shrugged, noting the changed look in his face. "I care about you, more than I should be." Sam took Martin's head in her hand.

He turned his head trying to escape her hold, but she wasn't going anywhere. "Samantha," he breathed averting his eyes from her.

Suddenly she didn't feel so sure of herself. She had lost her husband and now she was being rejected. She was being upfront with him, being honest and truthful.

"It's not that I don't want you." He breathed, she looked back at him. "I just don't want to hurt you."

"You wouldn't be hurting me. The only person who could possibly hurt me is this man." She raised her left hand, pointing to her wedding ring. "He has hurt me more than is capable." She dropped her hand, turning away from him, pulling the ring and her engagement ring off her finger.

Martin watched her confused, not knowing what she was doing. She walked to the coffee table and left the rings. As they clinked onto the table he realized what she was doing.

She turned back to face him, crossing her arms, she was getting cold. "I'm sorry if I seem to forward for you. It's just how I feel." She shrugged, heading for his bedroom to grab a sweater.

Martin watched her leave. She liked him, wow, the feelings were reciprocal; at least he figured that much when she was giving him an open invite to her cleavage. 'Damn women.' He thought to himself for the umpteenth time in the past 12 hours.


	11. Chapter 10

TEN

Sam sat at the bar a block away from Martin's building. The moment he had told her he was taking a shower, she had slipped out.

Since her admission, things between them had been, well, strained. He wouldn't look at her straight, yet whenever her face was turned she could feel his eyes on her.

She looked into her Martini glass, which was half full, like a psychic looking into a crystal ball. She wanted so much to wake up with Martin every morning, in the same way as she had woken up this morning, except without the neighbours alarm sounding.

"Rough day?" The barman asked her, taking her empty glass.

"You could say that." Sam looked up at the barman, smiling weakly, before returning her gaze to her martini.

They were amazing things martinis. She looked into the clear liquid, which still contained the olive, sighing inwardly that life couldn't be as simple, if a martini was simple.

She knew she was an attractive woman, and knew that there was a number of men in the bureau who would say that Jack was a lucky guy. She hoped Martin was one of those guys, but the messages she had been receiving from him confused her.

One minute he seemed to like her; want to kiss, touch and hold her. The next minute he was against the idea of her touching him. Maybe it was a domination thing, or a 'who made the first move' thing. Maybe he was just a guy who was traditional, he had to make the first move, and if she was too forward then she wasn't his girl.

Yeah that must have been it.

"Samantha?" A voice she recognized but couldn't remember where from spoke to her from beside her. She turned her head to find a Latino guy looking at her curiously.

"Danny Taylor?" She asked him remembering. He worked with Martin.

"So you are Samantha." Danny smiled, taking a mouthful of his water.

Sam smiled looking away, not knowing why this guy was here if he was drinking water. "Pardon my asking, but you're in a bar and you're drinking water?" It was Sam's turn to show the confused look.

"I have a tendency to start drinking and never stop." Danny shrugged simply. "Haven't had a drink in, about two years, five months and 6 days." He narrowed his eyes remembering.

"Wow." Sam exclaimed quietly. "That's, ah, that's well done, especially in this business." She sighed, taking a sip of her martini. "You don't mind do you?" She asked realizing what she was doing.

Danny held up a hand, waving it aside. "Would I be in a bar if I wasn't?" He asked her simply, looking back at her.

Danny didn't know what it was about her, but anyone else he would have been dropping lines furiously by now. Maybe it was the marriage factor, or because she worked in the same building, but when had that stopped him? He smiled inwardly at the memory.

Whatever it was, there was something holding him back with this woman. Maybe it was because he knew Martin too well, or maybe it was simply not attraction. But even that confused him.

"So what is a guy who only drinks water,"

"And soda." He interrupted, pointing at her.

"And soda, doing in a bar?" Sam asked him.

"Pick-up girls." He smiled wickedly at her. "You know I never really thought about it. Maybe it's seeing what I used to be, or making sure that people who are under certain forms of care are okay." He finished, his tone changing slightly and the look he was giving her changed too.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Sam tried to sound innocent, gulping down the rest of her martini.

"Martin called me, and lucky for him, I live a bit further uptown, and I also happen to know all the bar's and clubs in this town." Sam knew she was busted.

"He called me, asked me whether I'd left the office yet, and if I had and was in the area, could I check out some of the bar's around his area. He went left and I went right." He added, realizing that it sounded like Martin didn't care.

"I don't see why he cares." Sam said bitterly, eating the olive.

"Like another one miss?" The bartender asked her, taking her now empty glass. Sam shook her head, holding up her hand and searching her pockets for her wallet, before remembering that she'd left it at Martins.

"Don't worry about it." Danny shrugged, reaching for his wallet. "How many did you have?" He asked her, not looking up.

"Two martinis." Sam sighed, rubbing her forehead. The volume level had increased dramatically since she'd arrived, and that, combined with constant tiredness, although she didn't know why, was giving her a headache.

She watched as Danny dropped a twenty on the counter in front of her, putting his wallet back in one of his pockets, and taking another mouthful of his water. Over his shoulder she could see the door, and watched as Martin entered, immediately seeing her and joining them.

"You okay?" He asked her as he reached them.

"I'll see you guy's later." Danny nodded, getting off the stool he was on and walking out.

Martin and Sam both said goodbye, simultaneously, as he left.

Hesitantly, Sam looked up at Martin. "I'm sorry about what happened today." He whispered, taking her hand and leading her out of the bar.

"Don't worry about it." Sam breathed as they reached the street. "I shouldn't have said anything." She continued.

"No, there was something I didn't tell you." Martin cut her off. She looked up at him confused as he led her back to his apartment building. "I didn't tell you that the feelings are mutual, I care about you too Samantha." He saw her eyes begin to dance as they stopped before crossing the street.

"I care about you so much, that waking up with you this morning was one of the best things that has happened to me in a long time. Cooking you breakfast, I hardly ever do that for people, unless I care about them greatly. Not even my mother is dealt with that kind of treatment." He added as they crossed the street.

"My main concern, is that we'll catch Jack and Rodriguez, this whole thing will pass, and we will both feel like I took advantage of you, and that, whilst it will hurt me because I'm not that kind of guy, I know that it will hurt you more, and the last thing I want to do is hurt a woman that's as beautiful, smart, intelligent, and knows how to use a gun." He added smiling.

She looked up at him beaming, although the light surrounding them would have made it hard for him to see.

"You couldn't possibly hurt me." Sam breathed, stopping him a few doors from the main entrance.

"You say that now." He retorted, taking a step towards her.

"I know, but you can't possibly know what it feels like to have someone use you, take advantage of you. I have, Jack did it all to me. He used me as a cover for his i real /i job, knowing that someone who worked so closely with him and knew nothing about what he really did like I do, he couldn't possibly get caught. Have you ever heard the expression love is blind?" She asked him changing her tone dramatically. She saw him nod.

"I was blind to Jack. I refused to allow myself to see what was really going on because I loved him too much. Loved being the figurative word. I don't love him anymore, it's as simple as that." She smiled.

"I just don't want to hurt you." Martin whispered.

For the second time that day, Sam took his face in her hands, holding it firm, this time leaning up and kissing him softly. "You couldn't hurt me." She smiled, biting her lower lip.

Martin smiled with her, once again leading her to the apartment building doors, and then in and off the street. Neither one of them saw the man following them, from the bar to Martin's building. He maintained his presence in the shadows, keeping an eye on the light on the street, watching them intently, watching her kiss him, then him lead her into his building.

Once they had entered the building, he slowly walked his way up to the doors. He looked over the list of names on the door, settling on the Fitzgerald. The FBI Deputy Director was a Fitzgerald, so he only assumed that this was the guy she was staying with.

He glanced in through the doors, dropped his cigarette on the ground and walked back in the direction he had just come from.


	12. Chapter 11

**ELEVEN**

Sam clung to Martin as they rode the elevator up to his floor. She'd made the bold step, she'd kissed him, told him how she really felt; now she never wanted his body to leave hers. She found it hard to control herself as they walked down the hall, and as he opened his door.

Martin had nearly had a heart attack when Sam kissed him. He couldn't understand it, it was just a kiss. A simple tender kiss had never made him feel like that before. Maybe it was because she was a beautiful woman, but he had kissed plenty of beautiful women, particularly during his college years.

Maybe it was because it was her making the moves, she was different to all those other women in that regard; she wasn't afraid of going for what she wanted.

He unlocked the door, leading her in. Once he had closed the door, she pushed him against the door, kissing him furiously.

Martin didn't have a moment to think before her lips were pushed against his, forcing her tongue into his mouth. He managed to turn her around so that she was the one against the door. Her finger's slid over his back, down to the hem of his shirt, finding their way underneath, and as they rose, she lifted his shirt off over his head.

As she dropped his shirt on the floor, he set to work on removing hers, tickling her skin with his fingers. He smiled inwardly when she lifted one of his hands to one of her breasts, holding it there as she kissed him. He lifted her shirt over her head, whilst she played with his belt buckle.

She could feel his hands playing with her bra, removing it from her body and dropping it on the floor. As he did he moved his lips to her neck, sucking and biting causing her to gasp.

She managed to flick his belt buckle open. She felt him push himself closer to her, feeling his hardened errection pressing against her. She felt his hands move down to her trousers, pulling the zipper and allowing them to fall to the floor.

He moved his hands to her ass, squeezing the cheeks lightly before picking her up.

"Martin, please," she breathed wrapping her legs around his waist.

He kissed her again, one hand reaching for his cock, and the other pulling her panties to a side, feeling how wet she was, a moan escaping his throat.

She shuddered against him as he entered her, setting a furious pace. She rolled her head back, moaning loudly, suddenly realized that anyone in the hallway could probably hear them.

Within moments, she felt her muscles clench as her orgasm exploded within her, screaming his name, moments before she felt him come within her, leaning against her exhausted.

"Bedroom?" He mumbled regaining a normal breathing pattern.

"Bedroom, yeah." She mumbled nodding her head weakly, finding his mouth and kissing him again.

----

Martin woke up a smile on his face. He could feel Sam lying against him, her legs entangled with his, her breasts pressed against his lower torso, her head nestled in his neck. He realized why he had woken up, during their lovemaking, the sheets and blankets had been thrown to the end of the bed and onto the floor, both being so exhausted at 4 am when they finally fell asleep that they didn't bother to pull them up.

Martin tilted his head so that he could see her face. He traced a finger gently so he wouldn't wake her, along her jaw line. In the early morning glow, she simply shone, her stunning beauty radiating around her.

"It's too early." She muttered, smiling weakly as he touched her.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to wake you." He whispered kissing her forehead softly. "Oh and by the way it's 9.30." He chuckled watching her eyes flutter open.

"It's still too early, given what time I fell asleep." She moaned, nestling into him further, if that was even possible.

"Well you're not the only one with that problem." He chuckled rolling over so that he was lying on top of her. He leaned down and kissed her gently, roaming his hands over her body.

"Last night was fun." She mumbled as they parted, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Mmmhmm it was." He chuckled, escaping her grip, leaving a trail of butterfly kisses from her lips to her neck and down to her belly button.

She gasped as she felt his finger's play in her moistening folds. She was amazed last night at how fit he really was. Feeling his well muscled and toned body against her was enough to arouse her.

He was so knew to her, unlike Jack. Martin made her feel loved, taking care in listening to her; when she sounded like she was enjoying whatever it was he was doing, he continued, and when she didn't respond to him in a positive manner he stopped or changed until she did. Jack tended to enjoy her for five minutes, roll off and fall asleep; at least that was what he became after their wedding.

She knew she was going to have an enjoyable morning as she felt his head drop lower and lower along her body. She gasped as she felt his teeth on her clit. She took handfuls of the base sheet, trying to control herself.

She felt him slip his fingers inside her, bringing her orgasm closer and faster than she was expecting. Before she could fully climax, she felt him leave her, making her moan in disappointment.

He returned to her level, kissing and entering her. She came the moment he entered her, maintaining her convulsions until he climaxed and collapsed on top of her.

"Wow." She breathed, catching her breath.

"I know." Martin mumbled rolling off her, gazing at her, rolling his fingers through her hair.

"Do we have to get out of bed?" Sam mumbled rolling onto her side to face him, still not caring that the people in the building opposite her could see everything if they had a pair of binoculars.

"Well if we want to eat then we have to." He chuckled.

"Are you hungry?" She mumbled, tracing a finger over his dimples.

"After last night's work out, I'll be needing to eat for hours." He chuckled. "Aren't you?"

"Only for more of last night." She grinned mischievously.

"Well more of last night can wait until we've both eaten, and checked in. I think I heard my phone ringing earlier but it could have been a dream." He smiled.

He stood reluctantly from the bed, allowing Sam to lick her lips at the sight of his ass.

"How much do you work out?" Sam breathed unable to take her eyes away from him, finding it hard to believe that every single muscle in his body was toned, ready for action of any kind.

"Couple of hours on weekends. Generally I run to the gym and run home, not to mention the twenty odd minute run every morning before work." He said from within the bathroom, returning a moment later in a bathrobe and carrying one for her.

She stood up off the bed, and eased into the robe that Martin held out for her, before snaking his arms around her waist and guiding her in the direction of the kitchen.

'I could get used to this' she thought to herself cheekily; waking up snuggled against Martin, and then be served breakfast.

"Unfortunately I have no flour left so it's just cereal this morning." He breathed into her ear.

"Either way I'm happy." She smiled, turning her head to kiss his cheek. When they entered the kitchen he let go of her, heading for the pantry and pulling out a selection of cereals.

"Ooo healthy." She smiled walking over to him as he pulled two bowls out of a neighboring cupboard. He had pulled out three boxes, one of Corn Flakes, Rice Bubbles and Coco Pops. Sam smiled at the child in him.

"I can't help it. My mother would never let me eat these when I was a kid, so now that I'm all fiercely independent I take pride in being able to eat whatever I want." He chuckled, brushing past her to the fridge and grabbing a carton of milk.

"What would milady like for breakfast?" He smiled kissing her on the cheek.

"Ooo, I don't know. It's quite a collection you have here, kind sir." She smiled again.

"Well I am personally having Coco pops, but you are entitled to whatever you want." He smiled pouring himself a serving.

"I quite like the sound of snap, crackle and pop so I think I'll have Rice Bubbles." She smiled reaching for the box, before he managed to snatch it away.

"I insist." He smiled pouring some of the contents into the second bowl and pouring the milk over it. He handed her the bowl, with a little bow of the head as she accepted the bowl and leaned against the counter.

Moments later he was leaning against the counter beside her, both making small talk about the packaging and what they were going to do for the rest of the day.


	13. Chapter 12

TWELVE

Martin never knew that making out on a couch could be so enjoyable. He and Sam had finished breakfast, and hadn't been able to move without discovering more about the other. They had then moved to the couch, Martin lying on top of Sam, his robe covering them both like a blanket as they kissed.

"I have to call in." He mumbled between kisses.

"Why?" She whined as he got off her, missing his warmth.

"Because if I don't I wont know what's happening and Danny will probably kill me whenever I next see him in the office." He chuckled.

He turned his back on Sam, not seeing her stand and cross the room, kneeling down. When Martin turned around and couldn't see her he got confused, but knew exactly where she was when he felt her teeth.

"I'm calling work." He gaped as the phone began ringing. She looked up at him devilishly, not caring.

"If we get busted it's your fault." He smiled as he heard Vivian's voice.

"Hey it's me." He breathed trying to control himself.

"Hey Martin, I tried to call you earlier, but you wouldn't answer." She sighed, staring at the file in her hands.

"Yeah sorry about that, I was sleeping rather heavily this morning." He whimpered lightly as Sam took more and more of him into her mouth.

"Well I need you guy's in the office today." She sighed.

"Why what's up?" Martin tried to sound serious but found it difficult.

"We think Jack's still in the city. Danny didn't leave the bar immediately, he bumped into a friend, but he did notice a guy, similar height and build to Jack who followed you out of the bar and up the street, then when you both disappeared into your apartment building he waited a moment, then came up and looked over the names." Viv left out the part about seeing them kiss, knowing that it could have been a trick of the light.

"We'll be in as soon as we can." Martin mumbled, clenching his teeth.

"Are you alright Martin?" Vivian asked him. "You sound a little distracted."

"No, no, I'm okay. I'll see you in the office." He said quickly hanging up the phone so that Vivian couldn't know more.

He looked down at Sam who was still looking up at him. "You will pay for this." He groaned.

"I hope so." Sam stood rubbing her body against his and feeling his still hard erection press against her.

"We have to go in." He breathed guiding her back to the couch.

"Keep an eye on open interrogation rooms around lunchtime." She whispered cheekily as he pushed her onto the couch, falling on top of her.

"I might consider it." He smiled before slipping inside her.

"Do you think anyone will notice?" Sam sighed as Martin pulled into the Federal car park.

"It depends on what we show." He chuckled, finding a park not far from the elevator.

"How can your boss do this too us. I had plans for today." She whined as they got out of the car.

"She has this knack of always knowing when her agents are having fun and insists on stopping it and making them work." He smiled, but his smile was hiding the confusion he kept on feeling. He knew he had to tell Sam about the man following them, but didn't know how to without getting her out of this mood she was in. At least he knew she'd be safe here.

Sam took his hand as they crossed the floor to the elevators.

"So what have we got?" Martin asked as he entered the bullpen.

"You took your time in getting here." Danny smiled slyly, looking up from the file he was reading.

"Yeah usually I have the bathroom all too myself." He chuckled, glancing back at Sam who was following him slowly.

"Well I'm sorry that I have needs too." She joked as Sam joined everyone.

"Good you're here. Samantha, could I speak with you briefly in my office please. Martin, we have the video footage from the bar last night and I need you to go over it."

Sam looked around confused. "Why do you have footage from the bar?" She asked Vivian.

"I'll tell you in my office." She led Sam back into her office.

Sam knew something was up, but was a little confused as to why Martin didn't tell her, but then again she had taken his mind off the case after his phone call, in fact she wondered whether he had been able to take anything in from that phone call. She knew she had.

"Samantha, I'm not sure how to say this without alarming you, so I'm going to say it, and I hope you can forgive me." Vivian started sitting down at her desk. "Martin called the office last night, saying that he had taken a shower and when he got out you were gone. He said that there was no sign of a struggle so he was going to go and check out the bars in his neighborhood but he would need help. Danny as you know found you and called Martin when he saw you." Sam listened intently.

"This morning, I sent Danny back to the club, because he didn't leave immediately. There was someone outside who he knew, and he got distracted, but not long enough to see a man leave the bar not long after you and Martin did, and he appeared to follow you. Martin is currently looking over that surveillance to see if he recognizes the man, and in a minute I will be asking you to do the same thing." Sam sighed, unsure of whether that meant Vivian knew about her kissing Martin.

"I received a memo from VCU." She sighed leaning back in her chair lightly. "Your team has begun working on a rather large case and they need all the hands they can get. Given your current situation they otherwise wouldn't ask, but because you're in the building,"

"They need my help." Sam finished Vivian's sentence in a sigh.

"I'm sorry." Vivian sighed.

"Don't worry about it. I need something to keep my mind otherwise occupied. Thank you Agent Johnson." Sam stood offering her hand.

"Please, call me Vivian. And if you ever want to work down here, Michael is looking at a position in White Collar because he loves paperwork, which is a little disturbing." Vivian chuckled. "A position down there has opened up and I believe he's taking it. If you need a change, I wouldn't mind working with you." Vivian smiled.

Sam smiled with her lightly, the thought of working with Martin appealed to her. "I'll consider it." She said simply, before leaving the office to head for her own floor.

"Hey, leaving so soon?" Kelly left the elevator Sam was about to enter.

"Oh no, my own unit needs me." Sam wagged her head.

"Okay, well I'll see you round then?" Kelly smiled.

"Yeah." The two women smiled before Sam entered the elevator, deciding to take a detour to Van Doren's office first.

"You want a transfer to Missing Person's?" Paula asked curious. She had always known Sam to like her job in Violent Crimes, and didn't think she was one to change.

"I know there are on positions available, but, with this whole Jack think, I don't think I'll be able to feel comfortable walking past his office everyday, even when it's someone else's." Sam sighed.

"Agent Spade, there are currently no positions available in the New York Missing Person's unit. But I tell you what, whenever a position does become available, you'll be the first to know." Paula smiled at Sam.

Sam accepted this deal standing and leaving her actual boss's office, smiling slightly.


	14. Chapter 13

THIRTEEN

Martin sat in the lobby to the Federal building, waiting for Sam. The day had been long, tiring, and no firm leads were being found. They'd found a number of leads, sure, but in the processing of looking further into those, nothing had been found.

Flashback

"These guys are too good." Michael sighed rubbing his eyes, dropping his pen on his desk.

"We can't give up yet." Danny mumbled, but he too was finding it difficult reading Jack's file for the umpteenth time during the investigation, and was now finding the words to swim on the page.

"Please tell me you've found something." Kelly moaned re-entering the office with a fresh coffee.

"Still nothing." Michael moaned. "Its days like these where I become both petrified and happy that I'm married with three kids." Michael sighed looking up.

"You're being very quiet Martin." Danny said, looking to the desk beside him.

Martin had been reading over Mario Rodriguez's file, hoping to find a flaw in his, he hated to say it, brilliant operation. It didn't help that his brain was also allowing him to remember the previous night with Sam

It took Danny a number of attempts to grab Martin's attention, eventually resorting to throwing a rolled up ball of paper at him, hitting him on the head. "What?" Martin looked up to see his team-mates laughing.

"I've been trying to grab your attention for the past five minutes." Danny laughed, leaning forwards in his chair.

"Sorry, my mind's been, elsewhere." Martin said looking back at the file.

"Yeah I noticed." He smiled, wondering whether or not to ask him about what was going on with Sam.

"Please tell me you guys have got something?" Vivian moaned entering the office. "If we don't the press is going to have a field day." She leaned over Danny's desk, watching the team work.

"It's like he's disappeared off the face of the earth." Michael moaned. "I've gone over and over this on Richard Major, the guy who fed us with heaps of info on Rodriguez back in 1999, before he was killed." Michael dropped the file back on his desk.

"I went back to the Malone's," Kelly moaned sitting at her desk. "I couldn't find anything, fake passports, ID, photos or notes."

"That doesn't really surprise me, given that his wife is an Agent." Viv sighed glancing at Martin.

"Well if it helps, actually it probably won't, but I didn't recognize the guy who followed us out of the bar." Martin sighed, dropping the file on his desk.

"Have we been through all Malone's old case files?" Vivian asked.

"Yeah and the only people Malone 'helped' were those who had links to Rodriguez." Danny sighed.

"They were linked?" Vivian asked Danny curious.

"Yeah, I cross-referenced all the people who got helped, and they all had a familiar link, Devon Campbell, and I checked him out, it's an alias for one of Rodriguez's closest confidantes, Mikey Stanza."

"How does Stanza link to all these cases?" Vivian asked taking the file Danny was holding up to her.

"That was who they all claimed they worked for." Danny finished.

"Was Stanza ever questioned?" Vivian asked.

"Yeah, he admitted that they all worked for him but that was it. And guess who was always in on his interrogation?" Danny asked.

"Let me guess, Supervisory Special Agent Jack Malone." Vivian sighed as Danny nodded.

"He wouldn't have questioned him for very long then." Michael, who had been listening, spoke up.

"Oh he did, at least according to these logs, but he obviously always asked him the i right /i questions." Danny yawned.

End Flashback

Martin knew that they had to re-question Stanza, but given that he was out of the country and no-one knew where he was, that was going to be a difficult task.

He looked up to see Sam leaving the elevator, trembling. When she saw him she ran up to him.

"He called me." Sam whispered onto his shoulders.

"What do you mean? Who called you?" Martin asked her, leading her to the back hall of the floor so they couldn't be seen from the street.

"Just after you called me, telling me to meet you down here, Jack called me, told me that what my ass looked great last night, but I should really consider watching my public display's of affection when people are watching." Sam shivered as she spoke.

"He also said that we should keep an eye on traffic tonight, anything can happen when you're listening to the radio." She let go of him, leaned against the wall and slid down, crouching into a little ball when she hit the floor.

"There are people still up on my floor, how about we go up there and sort this thing out?" He offered her his hand, glad that they weren't far from the elevators.

She smiled weakly, taking his hand. "For some reason, I could be falling into an erupting volcano and I wouldn't be afraid. That's the affect you have on me." She blushed as he led her to the elevators.

He smiled at her, allowing her to know that it was okay to be honest. They entered the elevator, allowing the trip up to be filled in a comfortable silence, as she leaned against him, her arms around his shoulders.

"Hey what are you still doing here?" Danny asked as the elevator doors opened.

"I got a call from Jack." Sam sighed, the fear that she had felt before returning.

"You did?" Danny asked shocked, forgetting that he had a hot date with Rachel from Counter-Terrorism, and joining them as they headed for Vivian's office.

"Yeah, and he knows……..too much." She felt her cheeks redden, looking away so Danny couldn't see her face.

"So now we're going to go and talk to Viv to see what we can do about it." Martin added.

Knowing that Jack could have such an affect on her, make her fear for her life in her own workplace, it scared him as much as it scared Sam. He knew he cared for her more than he was letting on and he had a slight feeling that she did too, but he didn't know how to approach it, and couldn't even say whether it was that word.

He had only ever been in a situation like this once before, although he didn't admit it because she had broken his heart, and in the worst possible way. He didn't want that to happen again.

The trio walked along the hallway in silence. Sam wrapped her arms around Martin, much to Danny's amusement. Neither Martin nor Sam noticed the smirk cross his face. As they entered Vivian's office, she was on the phone talking to someone rather animatedly. Danny saw the time on the clock on her desk, remembering his hot date and sprinting to the elevator.

"I don't care how long it takes you, yes I appreciate it, hello I've done a heap for you, like the Greengrass case? Yes, thank you." Vivian's tone went from agitated, to sarcastic, to appreciative with traces of sarcasm as she ended the call.

"Everything okay?" Martin asked as they entered.

"I could ask the same for you." She turned her attention to Sam.

"How do you know about that?" She asked startled.

"A call from an unknown location came into your desk, I was notified." She said simply sitting back down at her desk. "I know what he said to you." Sam looked away.

"We know that they know where you live, Martin, and by the sounds of the call, something more than sleeping happened last night." Both Sam and Martin felt their cheeks redden, both looking to the floor to hide their embarrassment. "That means that you could both be in danger."

"The person I was just on the phone too works in Witness Protection." Martin and Sam both glanced at each other and then looked at Vivian curiously.

"Who is in Witness Protection that we don't know about?" Martin asked.

"Richard Major. When he was shot, he was wearing a specially designed vest, there were thoughts that he would be killed as a possible police contact, and we prepared him. He went into Witness Protection a week after he was 'killed'. I'm sending Michael and Kelly to Austen to talk to him. We think he might know something." Vivian said.

"So what's the plan for Samantha and me?" Martin asked, if he was in danger too he wanted to know he was safe.

"You'll both be taken to a safe house just out of the city in an unmarked car." Vivian said simply.

"Are you sure that's safe? I mean Jack knows all the protocols when agents are in serious trouble." Sam stuttered.

"Well is there anywhere safe that you both know about, a friend that you could go and stay the night with, no question's asked?"

"I know someone." Martin said after a silence.


	15. Chapter 14

Okay, i really have no idea whether anybody is still reading this story, so please, unless i get a couple of reviews i'm not going to update this again.

FOURTEEN

"Are you sure you're family won't mind me staying here?" Sam asked uncertainly as the car they were traveling pulled up in the driveway of a suburban house.

"My uncle, ever since my Aunt died of cancer a year ago, he's been really lonely, and he relishes in having the place full." Martin smiled at her.

They both excited the car, walking up to the front door. In any other circumstances he would have waited a couple of weeks for his girlfriend to meet his family, but this was an exception and it was the Toland's, so nothing that bad could happen.

"Marty!" A man similar height to Martin opened the door, his arms wide.

"Hey Roger." Martin smiled, shaking his uncle's hand. "This is Samantha Spade." Martin introduced Sam, having already discussed what to introduce her as in the car.

"Well it's very nice to meet you." Roger smiled shaking Sam's hand. "Come on in. Jamie, and Allison are watching TV and Ava's currently asleep." Roger said, closing the door behind them.

"Jamie and Allison are my cousins and Ava is Jamie's daughter." Martin explained noticing Sam's confused look. "And don't ask me how old they are because I am very forgetful about these things, but come birthday time its easy."

"Strange how these things work." Sam chuckled, following him into the house.

"Marty!" Both Jamie and Allison responded similarly to Roger when they heard and saw Martin enter the room.

Sam stood back and watched their greeting, slightly hurting that she didn't have any family members who would do that for her.

"This is Samantha." Martin turned his attention to Sam.

"It's really nice to meet you." Allison smiled. Jamie gave Martin a quick look of amusement before greeting Sam in a similar fashion to her little sister.

"Do you mind if I use your bathroom for a minute?" Sam asked trying to hold the emotions she was feeling back.

"Sure, this house is dreadfully complicated so I'll show you." Allison smiled taking Sam's hand.

"Marty?" Jamie said to Martin as Allison and Sam left the room, a tone of amusement and intrigue on her voice.

"Don't start Jamie." Martin attempted to walk past her but she blocked him.

"She has a wedding ring, and you don't; not to mention she's blonde and you are quite partial to them." She grinned as he squirmed in front of her, trying to get passed her.

"It's complicated but she's getting a divorce. I was there when she was filling out the papers." Martin responded, finally managing to step around Jamie and into the kitchen where Roger was finishing up dinner.

"Hey kids, this will be ready in five minutes. Jamie could you set the table please?" He asked not looking up from the saucepan he was standing over.

"What about her husband? I thought you had more morals than that." She hissed quietly as she crossed the kitchen and walked through to the dining

Martin could feel the frustration with his cousin's constant questions, but remembering she was family, knew he would be asking the same things. "Jamie, when I say it's complicated, trust me, I mean it's complicated."

"Okay, how long have you been with her?" She asked, placing knives and forks around the table.

"Not long." Martin responded simply.

Jamie was expecting more of an answer so maintained her quiet; realizing there was no more she asked again. "Well in that case, I know you Marty, you have super high standards, and whenever you meet one of those girls it takes a while for you to bring her to meet your family."

"Maybe she's more of a friend than a girlfriend, and I'm changing my ways?" Martin asked entering the kitchen to grab some glasses.

"You, changing your ways? Please. You're a Fitzgerald and I've met my uncle. You might not admit it but in the women department you're both rather similar." Jamie sighed taking some of the glasses from Martin and placing them around the table.

"Why are you so interested in my personal life?" Martin asked, placing the final glass he was holding down.

"Because I have a toddler who still doesn't sleep through the night that's why." She chuckled, looking over the selection of wines. "Which would you prefer, Chardonnay or Shiraz?" She asked looking at Martin.

"Make it a Merlot, the Napa Valley, '98 vintage." Roger said entering the room from the kitchen. "Samantha and Allison not back yet?" Roger looked around the room only seeing Martin and Jamie.

"Here we are." Allison announced entering the room leading Sam.

"Good, good, well I'm about to serve so everyone take your places." Roger smiled, re-entering the kitchen.

Sam smiled at Roger. She liked him, and was glad that she would be spending some time with some nice, friendly, and welcoming hosts. She glanced at Martin as he sat in the chair beside her, smiling at him briefly and resting her hand on his thigh.

Sam sat on the bed, glad that they had gotten through dinner without any hassles. She knew she shouldn't let her guard down. Anyone from the Rodriguez clan could have followed them from the FBI building.

She knew that by staying with the Toland's they were putting the family at risk, but her conscience was driving her insane. She knew that if they told the family the real reason that they were staying with them, indefinitely, could encourage them to be more obvious that they were hiding something. However not telling them, could put them in a greater danger answering the phone or door to a stranger.

"Sam?" Sam was so caught up in her own thoughts that she didn't even realize Martin had re-entered the room and was sitting on the bed, waving his hand in front of her to grab her attention.

"What, sorry." She apologized, leaning into him, wanting comfort.

"You were just staring off into space and you didn't answer my question." He sighed, wrapping an arm around her and rubbing her back gently.

"Well I guess you're going to have to ask me that question again then."

"Are you, is your conscience driving you as mad as mine is?" He finally said after much stuttering and pausing.

"If yours is debating whether or not we should be here and should we tell your family then yes I guess it is." She sighed, feeling how good it was to be in his arms.

"What should we do about it?" He sighed, looking down at her.

Sam looked up at him, meeting his eyes. Honestly, she didn't have a clue what to do without somehow embroiling the innocent family into their problem, and she didn't want that to be on her conscience. "I don't know." She whispered looking away from him.

Martin sighed leaning back into the pillows. He knew, when he signed up to become an agent that these things could happen, but they were rare. He found it hard to believe that he had managed to find himself in a situation where he wasn't even safe in his own home, that was to frightening.

Sam found the silence that had come over her and Martin to be something of bliss. The whole debacle had been giving her a headache, and spending the last hour and a half fielding questions from the Toland's about herself hadn't helped things. Sure they were friendly but sometimes she just wanted to have a moment of silence, but that was a lot harder to come by than she had first thought.

As they lay on the bed, slowly falling asleep, a loud thud came from the room next door to them, moments later followed by the sound of a baby crying. The sounds stirred something in Samantha, a memory that as she thought more about it, might help with the case.

"Martin, I think I remembered something." She sat up straight looking at Martin.

Flashback

"Sam what's happening in there?" Jack said through the mic. The team was in an apartment building in the middle of the Bronx, investigating the torture, rape and murder of three women. After hearing a fight in their main suspect's apartment the entire team was on alert.

Sam stood in the middle of an apartment with no rooms. It was one big room, with a small bathroom off to one side. She was staring at a wall with the words, 'I'm watching you' written in blood. She whirled around when she heard the crash from the neighboring apartment.

"Jack next door." She said into her radio, exiting the apartment to find Joshua Gomez standing in front of her. "Nothing." She said to him simply, turning and walking in the direction of the neighboring apartment door.

"On three." Jack whispered, motioning for Josh to get into position to kick the door down.

With his fingers he counted to three, allowing Josh to kick down the door, Sam close behind him.

"FBI FREEZE!" She shouted, not noticing Jack had disappeared.

She followed Josh as he checked the bathroom. "Clear." He said turning back to her.

Sam heard the whimpering and her attention was drawn to blankets lying on the floor. She lifted them to see a small baby, the words 'See you in Reno J' across the baby's stomach.

"Son of bitch." Josh whispered, standing up and realizing Jack wasn't in the room. "Jack?" He called, walking to the hallway. "Sam, he's gone." He called back to her as she picked up the baby.

"We need a medic now." Sam said into her mic, rushing out, not hearing Josh.

"Got it Sam," Amanda's voice sounded.

"Where's Jack?" Sam asked Josh, still holding the baby.

"Yeah see you in Reno." Jack excited a door opposite the one they kicked down.

"Jack?" Sam asked him. Jack started at the sound of her voice. "What's in there? And where does Reno come from?" She asked him, not noticing Josh's skeptical look.

"It was written on the wall in there." Jack sighed. "I'll get forensics on it immediately." He sighed."

End Flashback

"He just seemed like there was something, someone in there that he didn't want me or Gomez to see. I tried to walk past him but he kept blocking me." Martin listened to Sam intently.

"When was this?" He asked, standing and looking for his phone.

"About two months ago. I never really thought much more about it. But just hearing that thud and Ava crying, it just made me remember." She sighed.

"Name all the places in this city with Reno in the title. I doubt they'd be heading for the actual Reno, they'd have gone already." He sighed holding his phone to his ear.

"I don't think there is anywhere, and Rodriguez isn't that obvious. He uses codes. All the transcripts of the interviews he had with Jack, they were all in codes, everything they said was all a code." She hated to admit it.

"You read over the transcripts?" He looked at her as the phone continued to ring.

"Don't look at me like that." She sighed.

"There are a lot of transcripts there. How's you pick up on it?" He asked her, feeling worried, he should have been connected by now.

"There was something he said in one of the interviews, 'your plan to nab lil' Bo peep didn't work. She told us everything,' Jack gave me the nick name little Bo peep one afternoon when it was raining. I came home in a red raincoat with a bag of shopping. That morning, a guy tried to mug me. It later turned out he worked for Rodriguez." Sam explained. "After I read that, I re-read them all to catch up on the code." She finished.

"This isn't working." Martin exclaimed closing his phone. He walked back over to the bed and flopped beside Sam.

Ava's crying had stopped, and they could just hear Jamie talking to her, trying to get her back to sleep.

"Do you think we should just go to bed?" Sam asked, maneuvering herself to be half over Martin.

"We already are in bed." He chuckled as she pressed her lips to his.

"I mean, properly." She chuckled, resting her head on his chest.

He moaned as she shuffled her body properly onto his, reaching over to the nightstand to turn the light off, before his hand stopped her. She looked at him curiously before he leant up and kissed her gently. "After." He whispered, his hands roaming over her back.

"If you insist." She grinned, kissing him again as he rolled over so he was on top of her.


	16. Chapter 15

FIFTEEN

Sam woke up to a beautiful dream. She and Martin were making love in the most passionate way, Martin knowing exactly where and how to comfort her. She smiled, groaning as her eyes begin to flutter open and take in her surroundings, hoping to see the brilliant eyes of her lover staring back at her.

The room was pitch black. She realized that she wasn't lying on a bed, but was lying on a cold floor, both her arms tied up behind her back. She could feel cold air swirling around her and realized that she was naked. She shivered feeling the cold.

"Good morning Sammy," a voice hissed from the darkness somewhere. Sam flung her head around to try and see the man who spoke to her. "Don't be scarred, your friend isn't, and those nice people weren't." He hissed again, she could hear him stepping closer to her.

"Who are you? Where am I?" Sam asked, listening for the sound of footsteps.

"Neither are of your concern." The man sighed.

A small light above her was turned on, allowing her to just see the room she was in. There was another man sitting opposite her, but she couldn't tell who he was. The man who spoke was standing over her, she couldn't see his face, it was hidden in shadow.

She felt exposed in the light. She tried to move her legs to cover herself, to the men's amusement.

"Where's Martin?" She asked realizing he wasn't in the same room.

"He's safe, for now." Sam could see the definite signs of the man breaking into a smile, but knew that it was an evil smile, and all she could feel was fear.

"What do you want from me?" Martin croaked as another wave of beatings finished.

He had woken up in a dimly lit room, naked and tied up to a water pipe along the wall. He hoped that Sam and the Toland's were okay, but he knew that Sam probably wasn't.

"I don't want anything from you." The man who had just spent 10 minutes using Martin as a punching bag removed the bandage from his knuckles not looking at him. "I'm just giving you a warning."

"How can I be warned when I don't know who you are or what I've done to affect you?" Martin attempted to reason with the man.

"I'll tell you who I am. My name is John Michael Malone, and you have spent too much time with my wife recently." The man still didn't look at him.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Martin tried to hide the fear in his voice, realizing who he was up against.

Jack stepped up to him and smacked him hard across the face. "Don't you dare try and lie to me. I watched you, last night with her, she's fun isn't she." He whispered in a hoarse and evil tone, Martin looking at the ground still wincing in pain. Martin felt sick hearing Jack describe his wife. "She looks good too. How many times did you call her beautiful? Problem is, you just made the worst mistake of your life because you have no idea who you're dealing with right now." He straightened himself and left the room, turning off the light as he left.

Martin continued to wince in pain. He hoped Sam wasn't receiving the same treatment, but a part of him knew that was only wishful thinking.

In the darkness that surrounded him, he tried to pull himself free of the rope that connected him to the water main. He collapsed against the floor, unsuccessful in his escape attempts.

Sam continued to scream, even as the man left her. She now had bruises scattered over her body, from her abdomen to her groin and over her face.

"Stop whining." The other man spat as he opened the door for the two men to leave.

Sam had always known rape to be a painful experience, but hadn't realized just how much. She vowed that if she survived, she would make it her mission to protect women from this kind of pain.

She lay against the wall, her screams subsiding into tears, not noticing her husband enter the room. At the sound of his voice she looked up. She might have been scared before but now she was absolutely petrified, especially from the bruises on his hands, the gleam in his eye, and the sneer in his smile.

The Missing Person's team raced around the Toland's house, shouting names. After getting a call from a neighbor around 1.30, they had immediately been on it, rushing to the house to see who was left.

Danny kicked the front door down, to find the house looking completely normal. "Check the bedrooms." He ordered the other agents who followed in behind him.

He rushed up the stairs, opening every door he passed. When he opened the closet door, seeing a girl in her late teens, duct-tape binding her wrists and ankles and over her mouth, he knew she was left for a reason.

She looked up at him petrified as he leant down and removed the tape from her mouth.

"It's okay, you're alright. My name's Danny Taylor I'm with the FBI. What's your name? " He asked her calmly before calling for a medic.

"Allison." She mumbled weakly as he pulled out his pocked knife and cut the tape around her wrists and feet.

"Allison, right, can you tell me what happened?" He asked her, relieved that someone was alright.

"I don't know, I was asleep." She whispered.

"Anything, what happened to your family, Martin, Sam, anything you can remember." Danny pried as a medic rushed up to him.

"He, said, that I was to tell whoever found me, thanks for the help in finding them, and this isn't about money, it's about property." She whispered trembling as she spoke.

"Its okay, its okay we'll find them." Danny attempted to soothe the young girl as the medic checked her over and Kelly and Michael called him away.

"All the bedrooms are a mess, and the clothes Martin and Samantha were wearing in the office today are scattered all over the floor." Kelly whispered into Danny's ear as Vivian joined the trio.

"You guys need to come and hear this." She indicated the group to follow her, leading them back to the entrance hall and to the answering machine. She pressed the button to hear the message.

i Hello, is this the New York FBI Missing Person's team. Good I thought it was. Just calling to let you know that everything is under control, and my team is doing everything we can to protect the welfare and wellbeing of our victims. /i 

"Son of a bitch." Michael murmured.

"That was."

"Jack Malone yes." Vivian sighed, pressing the button on the answering machine. "I'll have tech look over it, see if they can find anything." She sighed opening up her phone.

Danny watched as the medic helped Allison down the stairs. She was still trembling and found it hard to walk. As they reached the bottom of the stairs he helped her onto a gurney and rolled her out. He smiled and waved at her briefly, knowing that Martin and Sam coming here had been a risk from the word go.

But he couldn't blame them for wanting to feel safe, especially when their own home was being watched.

"Agent Taylor, you need to see this." An agent from the top of the stairs called down. The team headed up quickly, Danny leaving them in his wake. Martin was one of his best friends. He'd come into the team two years ago and immediately they had clicked, probably because they were similar age, didn't have young families and were both single.

He knew how hard friends like Martin were to make and hold, and he didn't want to loose that now, and he wasn't prepared to loose that.


	17. Chapter 16

SIXTEEN

"We had no surveillance on the Toland's property so we have nothing." Danny said angrily leaving the bull pen and heading in the direction of the break room.

Michael sighed watching Danny leave, knowing how close Danny and Martin were. Sometimes he missed spending the odd night a week having drinks with a few of his mates. Sometimes he wished that he could have that again, but then he remembered Amanda, Jason and Sarah and he didn't want to change anything.

He reached into his pocket for his wallet, opening it and staring at the photo his cousin had taken of the family last Christmas. There they were, the five members of the Schmidt family, smiling and laughing on one of the best days of the year.

"You okay?" Kelly asked Michael, after watching Danny storm off.

"Yeah, just wishing that Danny could use his frustration in a good way and not on slamming paper onto his desk." He chuckled looking in the direction Danny had gone.

"Where's Danny?" Vivian asked entering the room quickly. Michael sat up, putting his wallet back in his pocket. On cases like this he enjoyed seeing Vivian enter the office in that stride, always showed that she had something i decent. /i "I got something and you all need to see this."

"He stormed off into the break room." Kelly sighed, stepping towards Vivian as Michael stood up.

"You guys, head to Tech. I'll meet you there with Danny in a few minutes." She turned on her heel and headed in the same direction Danny had.

When she entered the break room she was not prepared for the sight she saw. Danny was sitting at one of the tables, holding his head on his crossed arms, trying to hide his sobs. She knew how close Danny and Martin were and it broke her heart to see him crying like this.

"Danny?" Her voice made his head shoot up. When he realized it was her he tried to wipe the tears away as quickly as possible, he hated people see him cry.

"Are you okay?" She asked sitting opposite him.

He nodded his head weakly. "I will be." He mumbled.

"I know you guys are close, and we will get him back." She sighed taking his hands.

"I've never really bonded well with anyone." Danny started looking away from Viv. "When I was growing up, I was close to my brother, but then he went to Juvi, and I had no-one. Starting this job, I had friends, sure, but by the age of 28 they were all finding themselves girlfriends and settled down, started families and moved away." Vivian sighed as he reminisced.

"Martin was the first guy I met, who was my age, and didn't have anyone. I know I gave him a hard time when he first started, but that's me, and we both got through that. I just feel lost without him." He sighed rubbing his eyes again. "Listen to me, I sound like a girl crying over her ex-boyfriend." He chuckled, smiling weakly.

"It's okay to cry, you know that don't you." Vivian smiled weakly with him. He nodded weakly. "Good, so now I want to show you and the other guys something in tech that could spell the end of this case."

Sam had never felt more broken than she did at this very moment. Her husband was standing to aside whilst a man she didn't know raped her. She screamed in pain, wanting him to stop as he sucked her breasts, punching her in the stomach every time she screamed.

She saw the look on Jack's face; he appeared to be thoroughly enjoying watching his wife go through torment.

"This is what you get for cheating." He shouted as the man smiled getting off her.

"That was fun." He whispered into her ear. "I'll be back later." He kissed her on the cheek as he stood up, tidying himself up.

"Go deal with the other. Remember to send him my love." Jack said to the man as he left.

Sam looked at him, not wanting to show him pain, knowing that it might be useless given he'd just stood and watched, not to mention acted in three men raping her.

"Don't give me that look." Jack sighed, he sounded almost as though he cared which made Sam sick. "I know you too well." He grabbed the chair and placed it in front of her.

She no longer felt like a person. She just felt hollow, all that was inside her was numb. She had broken too much, but she wasn't willing to show that. She could barely see out of her left eye after one of the men had hit her, and she was certain she was going to need stitches along her right cheek where another man had cut her with his knife.

"Have you been having as much fun as I have?" Jack asked her sitting down.

"Oh yes I've been having a heap of fun." She responded not looking at him. Jack smiled at her, hitting her on the right side of her face, making her wince in pain as he touched the wound.

"Don't take that tone of voice with me." His tone sounded as though he was a concerned parent.

Sam stopped thinking about protecting herself, and decided to make sure that she could protect Martin and the Toland's in any way she could. She still had no memory of how she ended up here.

"What do you want from me?" She asked him finally, biting down on her teeth, trying to ignore the pain.

Jack smiled at her, the gleam in his eyes that had petrified her before, shining through.

"Where's my family." Martin shouted. He was still all alone in a black room, and had been hearing muffled screams for the past hour, although time was difficult for him to determine.

He could still hear them, every so often they were louder than the ones before, making him cringe. When the door opened he heard them loud and clear, also hearing whoever was making them shout. He felt like he was about to throw up as he realized they were coming from Sam.

"We have no business with your family. They are merely a way for us to assure our protection." A man Martin didn't realize entered the room, slamming the door behind him. Once again the screams became muffled.

"Just don't kill them." Martin breathed as the man stepped towards him, kicking him hard in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him.

"Jack sends his love." The man said before walking out again.

Martin choked regaining his breath, this time throwing up when the door opened again and he heard Sam's shrill scream echoing around the building. He silently prayed that the FBI knew that they had been taken and were working on finding them.

"What's this from?" Danny asked Vivian as they finished looking over the files that they were shown.

"They are all from Jack's home computer. Mac here managed to hack himself into the depths of the computer and bring up all these old things." Vivian patted Mac on the back as she spoke.

"We have e-mails, housing records, property ownership and location." Kelly gaped as she flicked over the pages that were being printed.

"Which is why I want each of you to look over every single name that comes up. And I want to know everything about them." She instructed the group. "How long will all this take to finish printing?" She turned her attention to Mac.

"Well, judging by the amount that's here, could take a while, maybe another hour or two." Mac shrugged.

"Okay, team, divide what we got so far into thirds and look over it. Meanwhile I'm going to once again attempt to appeal to our bosses." Vivian sighed, knowing it was going to take a heap to get all the manpower on this that she wanted.

Danny looked over the first page that he was given, instantly recognizing an address. He quickened his step needing to make a few calls.

"You okay Danny?" Kelly noticed him speeding up.

"Remember that case about a year ago, the two children who went missing and when one was found with his arm removed in a warehouse we were told to give it to VCU?" Danny said as they re-entered the bull pen.

"Yeah, how could I forget?" Kelly sighed.

"This address, I think it's the same as where the team found the second boy." Danny said handing her the paper.

"That's a warehouse isn't it. Do you want me to get the case file?" She said starting to think what Danny was thinking.

"Yes I do." He smiled picking up his phone.

------

**I WANT SOME REVIEWS! I'm not stating a number because I don't know how many reviews i would like, but just enough to be reminded that there are people reading my story. So please, after reading this, click the little 'Submit Review' button, and i honestly don't care if you write something plain and simple like "Good work" for example, please just do.**


	18. Chapter 17

_Okay a part of me just wants to post all the remaining chapters so that i get rid of them from my Docs file, but that would remove all elements of suspense and surprise. Luckily, there's not much more to go and hopefully within the next month or two I shall post the remaining chapters._

_----_

SEVENTEEN

"The final, 3428 pages." Mac said as he entered the bullpen carrying a box.

"3428!?" Danny, Kelly and Michael exclaimed.

"Yes, that is the correct number and I'm not going to say it again for fear I'll pass out. I did some more hacking and I think I might have found a way that Malone contacted Rodriguez. Any way I still have about six computers I need to look over for Homeland Security, so I'll leave you too it." He said waving at them as he left.

"3428. That's impossible." Michael exclaimed walking up to the box.

"That would explain why it is now three hours after we first saw the files." Danny chuckled at Michael's appalled look.

"What came about of that warehouse?" Kelly asked.

"I'm glad you asked. After the VCU went through it, the place was sold and guess who bought it? Michael Malone." Danny said holding up the record of the transaction. "Michael is Jack's middle name, and there are a number of other properties he owns under that name." Danny smiled.

"So are we heading over there?" Kelly asked.

"I talked with Viv about it whilst you were getting a refill. We can't until we have decent man-power." Danny sighed walking over to the box and collecting another stack of paper.

"This is worse than paperwork." Michael moaned, taking his stack to the conference table." Danny and Kelly both laughed lightly at him.

"What's decent man-power?" Kelly asked.

"More than we currently have." Danny sighed.

Vivian was standing in her office looking out into the bullpen. The phone was still on hold with upstairs and had been like that for too long now.

"Thank you for holding, Paula Van Doren's office." A chirpy voice said.

"I need to speak with Ms Doren on a matter of urgency." Vivian rubbed her head.

"I'm sorry, but Ms Doren is currently in a meeting with the Deputy Director and won't be available for another hour." The chirpy voice responded. Vivian gritted her teeth.

"Well could you please put me through because I currently have two agents probably being seriously attacked right now and one of them happens to be the Deputy Director's son. I don't care if I intrude on their meeting." She shouted hoping to make her point.

"One moment please." The chirpy voice said again, putting Vivian back onto hold and forcing her to listen to a series of Christmas carols, where the choir singing them wasn't the best.

"I'm sorry but Ms Doren will not be able to take this call. I'm sorry." The chirpy voice said before hanging up.

Vivian slammed the phone down on her desk, before storming up to meet with Van Doren in person.

Danny looked up in time to see Vivian shaking her head and storming in the direction of the elevators. "Why are bureaucracies so hard to communicate with?" He sighed going back to the pages in front of him.

"Because if they were easy to communicate with then we wouldn't be paid as much." Kelly sighed, rubbing her eyes.

Martin once again woke up to darkness, this time remembering why. After the guy who kicked him had left, Jack had returned, and appeared keen to kill, knocking Martin unconscious. He was unaware how long he'd been out of it for but estimated a couple of hours.

He tried to listen for the sounds of screams, knowing that at least that way he knew she's be alive. The ongoing silence filled him with a cold fear. He watched as the door opened again, hearing the muffled whimpers made his fear decrease slightly.

The man placed a glass of water, just out of arms reach. "I'll tell you something, I'm going to make you a little deal." He said as Martin reached for the glass, not caring if it was poison, just needing something to make his throat not feel so dry.

"I don't care what you want me to do, just leave Sam and my family alone." He struggled to reach the glass, a part of him knowing that he couldn't reach it but still not caring.

"We'll let you go." He said simply.

"Even I know that nothing in this business is that easy." Martin mumbled, giving up.

"Suit yourself." The man said, punching Martin again and moving the glass further away from him.

Sam had stopped screaming whenever one of the men raped her. Instead she cried throughout the ordeal. She lay curled up in the fetal position, against the wall, the light turned off when a man she hadn't encountered entered the room. He walked up to her, dropping a razor beside her before walking out, this time leaving the light on.

She didn't bother looking at the blade, knowing she wasn't going to kill herself. 'If the want me to disappear they can do it themselves. Nothing can hurt me anymore." She thought to herself.

She didn't know how long she'd been awake, but knew that her energy had been sapped from the constant rapes and beatings. She felt her eyelids droop and quickly she was asleep.

"Sometimes I wonder." Vivian spat as she re-entered the bullpen.

"Well we have found three possible locations that they could be holding Martin and Samantha, each one looking promising and we're just waiting on the order." Danny sighed continuing on with his work.

"What else have you found?" Vivian sighed leaning over Martin's vacant desk.

"I just got something." Kelly said, straightening and double checking.

"What?" The group looked up at her hopeful.

"There was a case about three months ago. It was reported that the words 'See you in Reno J" were written on the body of a two month old baby. Check this out." The team stood and walked around looking at what she was looking at. "This is the property list for Julian Aitkin, a known associate of Rodriguez, but he lives in Miami and was imprisoned a week ago for Drug smuggling. He owns a warehouse downtown, which he named as a holding store for coke, amphetamines, heroin, you name it, he kept it all there. NYPD, on recommendation by MDPD looked into it and cleaned the place out.

"Now for some reason I was looking over the file from the NYPD," she rolled her chair back to her desk, grabbed a file and handed it to Danny, "and they reported that 'Reno' was written on the main door to the building. I think this is where they're holding them." She finished still standing looking at Danny.

"Luckily I just managed to organize extra men for such a thing. I'll let Van Doren know we need those numbers now. What's the address again?"


	19. Chapter 18

EIGHTEEN

Sam woke up to find three men standing in the room she was held in, all looking at her with the same expression on there faces. Jack entered the room behind them, nodding to the man closest to her. She cringed knowing what he was about to do, attempting to hold herself tight together and not allow him to hurt her again.

After a few attempts at parting her legs he punched her. The punch didn't hurt her, nothing could anymore.

"Nothing from my end." Kelly said into the mic, watching a side door to the warehouse.

"There's a light through the window above my door." Michael whispered.

"Take it easy, we don't want them to know we're here." Vivian sighed, standing amongst a group of team members, heavily geared up. "Danny what's going on your end?"

"Nothing yet, but I thought I heard something before." Danny was on the opposite end to Vivian of the huge warehouse, also with a group of team members.

"How long until SWAT arrives?" Kelly sighed. They had been standing around the warehouse for close to an hour, and as the minutes went by it become more and more doubtful they would show up.

"Soon." Vivian responded hearing the frustration from Kelly. She looked around and saw the large van pulling up, letting all the personnel within the vehicle out and move into their positions.

"Okay, we go in on 5, 4," Vivian heard the team leader through the mic, raising her gun and slowly with the group headed for the doors. "3, 2, 1" There was the sound of doors being kicked down and shouts of 'FBI FREEZE' filling the building.

As team members kept various suspects at bay, other members searched throughout the building, searching for Martin, Sam and the Toland's.

Danny kicked down a door to a black room, holding his torch to see his surroundings were filled with two men and another lying on the floor. Realizing that the man on the floor was Martin he shot both men, one in the chest and one in the thigh as he moved. He kicked the guns away from the two men so they couldn't reach him and rushed to Martin.

"Martin, Martin, man come on wake up." He draped his jacket over Martin. "I need a medic, black room up the back, get in here now."

He stood up, saw the man who had a bullet in his thigh, kicking him, knocking him unconscious.

"Danny?" He heard Martin mumble, he was obviously pretty out of it.

Kelly snuck her way along a wall when she heard the click of a hammer close. She stopped, allowing her senses to tell her where the man was. Slowly, and making as little sound as possible, she snuck her way along the wall, turning to find she was staring down a gun barrel.

The shot echoed around the warehouse, more men entering the building as the team continued searching.

"Where did that shot come from?" Vivian shouted into her mic. The room she was standing in was filled with team members pointing guns at suspects.

"I don't know but I just heard a door close, I'm checking it out." Michael responded, holding his flashlight in front of him. When he turned the corner, the sight he saw made him freeze.

Kelly was lying on the floor not moving, in a pool of blood. "Shit, Kelly." He shouted, racing up to her to check if she had a pulse. "Kelly's dead." He mumbled when he couldn't feel one, rolling her over to find a bullet hole between her eyes. 'At least she didn't feel it' he thought to himself.

"I found Martin, he's okay, just, I think." Danny's check-in brought the raid up to a lighter mood.

"Good, now let's find Samantha." Vivian sighed, moving forward in the warehouse with a team on hot pursuit.

Vivian knocked down a door to find three men standing around watching as another raped Samantha. "FBI FREEZE" She shouted holding her gun up to each one as five other team members entered the room.

One man raised a gun to Viv, but she quickly raised her gun to him, shooting him in the arm and causing him to drop the gun as a team member cuffed him and lead him out.

"This is not over!" He shouted as he was being led away.

The man who had been raping Sam, stood with his arms raised. "I should shoot you, but then that would mean you wouldn't get to rot in pieces for attacking a Federal Agent." She sighed, as a team leader lead him out.

Sam looked like a wreck. She had more cuts and abrasions over her face, her body was a mixture of colours from all the beatings, and she was whimpering.

"Samantha." Vivian kneeled down beside her, placing a hand on her head. Sam ducked away from the touch.

"You're going to be okay now. Martin's already outside being examined." Vivian soothed, removing her jacket and draping it over Sam.

Sam continued to tremble and shake violently, before crying non-stop. "I won't be okay. What they've done to me, don't say I'm going to be okay now when you don't know what I've been though." She shouted.

"I need a medic now." Vivian said into her mic.

Flashback

Sam was sitting in Lisa Harris's office, wondering what on earth she had done to wind up in this situation. She hadn't done anything wrong, she hadn't been injured, well apart for dropping a vase on her hand and that in itself she really didn't want to go into because she honestly had no idea how she managed to do it.

"I'm so sorry I'm late Samantha." Lisa rushed into her office, dropping her briefcase beside her desk. "Subpoena's, hate them." She said quietly, smiling weakly.

"No, you shouldn't be apologizing, I should be." Sam started. "I haven't done anything wrong, broken no protocols, haven't been injured or been in a mentally straining situation, and yet I've been ordered to come and speak with you."

"Oh, yeah that." Sam looked at Lisa confused. "Every so often, the upper circle likes to do psyche profiles on its agents just to see how they would handle themselves in certain situations. I've been ordered to offer these tests to everyone in this building." Lisa sighed, grabbing a file from the cabinet behind her desk and sitting on the chair opposite Sam.

"Everyone." Sam breathed gaping.

"Yeah. But I should be more specific, there are three Federal Psychiatrists going around the Bureau to help out people like me. We worked out who we would do by simply picking names out of a hat, at least to a point." The woman laughed weakly.

The questions were relatively easy, on a scale of 1-10 how hard could you feel you heart beating in strenuous situations, those types of questions. Until she came to the, if you were taken hostage, how would you react when you were saved?

"Um well I guess it depends on how I was treated." Sam began, squinting her eyes thinking.

"Okay, well let's say that you were beaten to the point that they broke you." Lisa shrugged.

"Okay well in that case, I guess it would depend on whether I was rescued or if I escaped. If I was rescued, I would probably find it easier to get back on my feet." She shrugged thinking.

End Flashback

"Viv, we got him. We got Jack." Danny's voice came through her mic.

"You hear that Sam?" Vivian asked Sam. "We have Jack, and he can never hurt you again." Once again she rested a hand gently on Sam's back; this time she didn't shy away, but she still trembled.

"Come on, let's get you outside." Vivian stood, helping Sam reluctantly to her feet.

---

_A/N: Remember to review!_


	20. Chapter 19

_Thank's for the reviews. Keep 'em coming!_

NINETEEN

Martin sat in the ambulance having just been dressed in a hospital gown. His body ached from the constant beatings particularly around his groin; he knew he shouldn't have gotten involved with a married woman.

He continued to ask the various guards and agents surrounding him what happened, when he saw a body bag being carried to a neighboring van, he prayed that it wasn't Sam's body lying inside it.

"This will hurt for a minute." The paramedic said holding some form of ointment on a cotton bud, directing it towards the small cut above his lip.

He watched as Michael walked out, ashen faced, as though he had just seen a ghost. As the paramedic finished touching up Martin's lip, he walked over to him.

"You look good." He smiled weakly.

"Oh I bet I do." Martin sighed weakly.

"She'll be missed." Michael breathed. Martin's ears pricked hearing her.

"Who?" He was afraid that it would be Sam and didn't know how he would be able to handle it if it was Sam who was dead.

"Kelly, point blank." He sighed, wiping his eyes.

"You okay?" The paramedic who was treating Martin asked seeing him as she moved around the back of the van.

"If I need you I'll ask." Michael sighed. "Oh yeah, I think they found Samantha, but she's in a bad way." Michael said realizing that Martin would want to know.

Martin breathed a sigh of relief knowing that she was alive, vowing that no matter how bad she was hurt he would help her through everything. He just wasn't prepared for the sight he saw when she was wheeled past the end of the van he was in. He barely recognized her she was so blue and covered in blood.

"Hey man, you okay?" Martin heard Danny's voice.

The moment Danny had enterred that room, Martin had choked, knowing that the men were about to kill him, and because Danny was alone, they would probably kill him too. Somehow though, Danny had saved him.

Martin didn't know how Danny was feeling, he hadn't said much. But he knew that clinging to Danny when he found him maybe made him feel a bit awkward.

"Yeah, I'll be okay." Martin sighed leaning back against the gurney. He watched as Danny walked up to the van and leant against the doors.

"She'll be okay." He sighed looking at Martin, who wasn't looking at him.

"Yeah, I hope so." Martin sighed, closing his eyes.

After being checked over at the warehouse, both Martin and Sam had been taken to a nearby hospital. Sam had few memories of being saved, only fully remembering Vivian say that they had Jack. She knew Martin was okay, and that made her angry. She could vaguely remember seeing him in an ambulance as she was wheeled out, but that was it.

She still had nightmares, which was one of the few reasons she was still living with Martin. They would always be there, the faces of all the men, the memories of what they all did to her; Jack's face as he watched. They wouldn't leave.

Flashback

"Stop crying, you're enjoying this too much." A man hissed into her ear as he did up his zipper.

She had lost count of the number of times she'd been raped. All she knew was that this guy paid particular attention to her ribs. He seemed to enjoy the feel of his knuckles hitting them..

She heard the door swing, and the light switch as the room was filled with darkness. Finally she thought they'd left her alone, at least for the time being.

"Hello Sam." She thought he had left, as she lifted her head, looking around the room trying to see the man.

"I see that you've been enjoying your treatment." She heard a footstep close to her head and sat up quickly.

"But you know that I would never hurt you." She felt the metal tipped boot hit her thigh. "See, I'm not hurting you, am i?" He kicked her again in the area of her kidney, causing her to scream.

"I hate you Jack." She shouted as he paused for a moment. The moment she said it she knew she shouldn't have.

"No you don't. Well, you won't until after I'm done with you." She heard the door burst open, the lights turned on, and all she could see was Jack's face, centimeters from her own.

End Flashback

When she had arrived at the hospital, a doctor came to examine her, and all she could do was scream. Even though she knew he was there to help her, just knowing that he was in the same room as her, she just didn't feel safe. She'd screamed until every male had left the room and there were only femaly nurses and doctors to examine her. Even then it had been hard, having to hear them say all the negatives that had happened to her.

She had spent the rest of the night crying, not because of the pain she was in, but the knowledge that the beatings she had endured meant it would be near impossible for her to become pregnant. And that scared her, yes she wished that she was a mom already, especially after the miscarriage, but there was a part of her that kept on saying, maybe when I'm older.

Martin found it hard to sleep at night. Because of Sam's fears, she slept in the same bed as him, but if he ever touched her, even if it was accidental and he was asleep, she would be close to strangling him of break into screams and tears that generally woke the neighbours.

Flashback

"Sam, I'm not going to hurt you." Sam had just been holding her hands firmly over his neck, choking him. He had accidentally rolled into her as he slept. She suddenly realized what she had been doing to him, had let go and retreated to the end of the bed, holding her knees firmly to her chest.

"I know, I just, I just can't." She sobbed, hating what she had become. It had been two weeks since the attack, her attackers were all in prison, bail was not an option for any of them.

Martin hated to see her like this. In these situations he would generally reach over and hug her, forcing her to know that she was safe. But this wasn't an ordinary situation; she was the victim of a vicious cycle of rapes and beatings, severely breaking her spirit and smashing the broken pieces into oblivion.

"I've been doing therapy; I've been writing my emotions like everyone keeps telling me. It's just not helping. I can't sleep properly, I can't eat, whenever I do I throw it all up." She sobbed, punching one of her hands into the bed.

"Are they still going to make you testify?" He asked her quietly.

"Apparently, even with the photos they have of my bruises, I still have them on my stomach, where a baby would be." She broke down into a fit of tears as she remembered the fact she couldn't have children.

Watching her cry over not having a baby was enough to break Martin. Somehow he held it together, holding a hand out to her on the bed. He had been talking to Lisa about ways to help her feel comfortable with him, and one of her suggestions was an open palm facing her.

She looked up at his hand, thinking briefly, knowing he was trying to help her. She couldn't help it; too many hands had been on her, hurting her, after looking like they wouldn't. She shuddered away, further into the end of the bed away from him.

Martin sighed realizing it wasn't going to work this time. He retracted his hand slowly as Sam watched it.

End Flashback


	21. Chapter 20

TWENTY

Martin didn't go to Kelly's funeral. He would have gone, loved too, if that's the right way to describe wanting to go and say goodbye to a deceased friend.

The dreams for Sam were still there, but last night she had woken up crying, and thrown herself onto Martin crying and pouring her heart out. She had clung to him until the sun came up, just crying, wanting to move on with her life.

Maybe the small changes were coming about because she had received her divorce papers, signed from Jack. He couldn't believe it when he came back to the apartment after discovering they needed more milk. She was jumping around the apartment, happy. When he made his presence known, she reverted back to the hollow and quiet person that she had become.

Danny sat in Martin's apartment at the table talking to Martin whilst Sam showered. Whenever they had company she would either take a bath or a shower, maybe even both.

"You've fallen for her haven't you?" Danny smiled as Martin looked over his shoulder in the general direction of the bathroom.

"What?" Martin snapped his head in the direction of Danny after hearing what he had said.

"You have, you've fallen in love with her." Danny said again, taking a mouthful of his water.

Martin didn't respond, returning his gaze to the direction of the bathroom. "It was never intentional." He whispered.

Danny smiled taking another drink, watching Martin. "You should tell her."

"No I shouldn't. If I tell her something like that, there are two possibilities of how she'll react." He said turning back. "She'll either be happy and move forward, or she'll spiral out of control." Martin sighed.

Flashback

Martin was clearing up as Sam sat on the couch watching TV. It was late and they were both tired after having to spend another day in the Federal building, going over their statements. He wasn't surprised that Sam had retracted into her shell once again.

Having to once again go over what had happened to her was too much. And now she was being subpoenaed to testify at Jack's trial. Martin thought that with all the images they had of her, the DNA that the doctors had found within her, his statements plus hers would be enough. But no, she had to stand up in a little box looking directly at the men who had hurt her and tell a judge and jury what had happened.

As he was wiping the bench he realized that the ringing wasn't coming from the TV but from the phone outside the kitchen door. He dropped the cloth and rushed around to the phone before it stopped ringing.

"Hello this is Amanda Feldtmen." The voice said as he answered.

"Hi." Martin said uncertainly returning to the kitchen.

"I hope I'm not catching you at a bad time." She sighed as he picked up the cloth again to resume cleaning.

"No, no, not at all. I was just wondering why you called that's all." Martin admitted, positioning the phone between his shoulder and ear so that he could work whilst talking.

"Oh, I wanted to talk to you about Samantha. I believe she's living with you?" Martin stopped as she spoke.

"Ah, yeah she is." He said quietly so that Sam wouldn't hear him.

"I spoke with your supervisory Agent, Vivian Johnson," she said as Martin multitasked, cleaning the bench and listening. "She said that Sam was pretty shaken by the whole episode."

"You could say that." Martin sighed.

"Well I just wanted you to know, the reason I spoke with Agent Johnson was because I saw her, she was with you heading for the elevator. Your contemporary Agent Schmidt was taking my statement, and I saw you, you appeared to guide her into the elevator, but she shrugged away from you.

"I wanted to tell you, that after speaking with Agent Johnson, reading her statement and seeing her today, I wanted to say that I have known her since she stepped foot into this building five years ago. I have never seen her as weak and as isolated as she is now."

End Flashback

Hearing a friend describe Sam the way Amanda had, how she had never seen her so broken, and how she never thought she would ever become the person she is had startled Martin. It was those types of moments that really made him want to help her through her current stress and life.

"I don't know what to do anymore Danny." He sighed taking a mouthful of his coffee.

"Well if your so afraid of telling her the truth, don't. Watch her continue to spiral downwards whilst you wonder to yourself what if. Continue to watch her when she's sleeping because she's the most beautiful thing in the world, attempt to look through the walls to see her, smell her towels; god what am I saying." He chuckled lightly, bringing a small grin to Martin's face.

"I don't do that." Martin grinned putting his cup back down.

"Okay you don't," Danny grinned, "but I can see how much you care for her, and it's not just because she's in a bad spot. I saw it when we started learning more about who Jack was, when you guys had to come in. You just, I don't know man, you just couldn't concentrate when you were working, you would always be looking up at the doors." Martin sighed as Danny spoke.

Sam lay back in the bathtub, allowing the water to hold her. She rested her hands over her stomach, both in an attempt to conceal the fading bruises that were still evidence of her ordeal, and because she couldn't have children.

Before marrying Jack, oh how that name tortured her. Even watching the news and hearing the stories by Jack Moran, and reading the paper, Jack Stewart, she shuddered, remembering _his _face.

Before she married the first man she called her husband, the thought of having children wasn't a thought. She was determined that she wouldn't allow herself to have any. If this had happened to her then, she probably wouldn't be complaining.

How one man and a miscarriage can change a person's beliefs and life.

Now she spent her nights silently crying, the only sign that she was upset were the tears rolling off her face and onto her pillow.

She remembered waking up the night before in a cold sweat and screaming. Martin was awake too and the first thing she did was fling her arms around him tight, crying into his lap or onto his shoulder. It made her feel wonderful, she was finally properly crying about what had happened, actually showing the full emotion, but also because she willingly touched him. And she touched him for hours, until she heard a constant groan from Martin's stomach.

She looked down to where her knees were small islands surrounded by water covered in small white bubbles. The smell gently rising filling her nostrils, making her remember a dream; the sand, the sea, Martin.

She smiled gently as her eyes closed, her thoughts creeping to a scene somewhere on the beach. She could feel sheer heat on her body, one side from the burning sun, and the other from the searing hot sand. She could hear the crash of the waves, the laughter of people, families, screams of teenage girls as they were splashed by their friends. All she could smell was the spray of the sea the wind picked up as the waves tipped and became a horde of perfect white seahorses, racing into the shore.

This time she rolled over, sitting up looking out. The water was a perfect blue, cool, shimmering and inviting. Martin was up to his waist in the water waving to her, she could just make him out. She got to her feet and raced into the water, her pace dropping as the water she encountered became deeper and deeper.

Martin smiled as she reached him, holding out his arms to her. He kissed her lightly as her body came up against his. She pulled away smiling at him when a wave hit them, knocking Sam off her feet and falling into the water. As she felt the water enter her nostrils the vision was shattered as she gasped for air, her surroundings becoming the neatly tiled walls and floor of Martin's bathroom.

She shivered lightly as she realized what had happened, and that she had fallen asleep. She glanced at the clock on the counter beside her head. Deciding that she had been in for long enough she decided it was time to get out.

She reached for her towel as she stood up, wrapping it around her body as she stepped out of the bath and pulling the plug. She stood in front of the mirror staring at herself, before doing something she hadn't done since the attack. She dropped her towel to see the remaining bruises and scars. It shocked her what she saw.

There were some parts of her body that she couldn't see by simply look down at, namely the many scars on the bottom of her breasts, the yellow marks on her right shoulder. She turned around to see her back, realizing why her back had been hurting. There was still a large bruise perfectly situated along her spine.

As she looked at them she felt her tears return, collapsing onto the floor in a fit of tears, hating what the men had done to her. She suddenly felt that all the 'progress' she'd made with Martin had in a second been thrown out the window. The remaining bruises where too much for her to bear.


	22. Chapter 21

TWENTY ONE

Once again he sat in Lisa Harris' office. Sam had to stay in hospital two nights longer than Martin, the first night he returned to his apartment, his mom stayed with him. The moment he had gone to bed, he had gone into the bathroom, and had an extensive vocal opposition to his and Sam's recent life events.

When he had returned to his room, his mother was sitting on his bed holding the teddy bear that he was given when he was three by his father after he won it at a show. She had stayed with him as he cried, listening to his tears and shedding a few of her own.

"Martin?" Her voice woke him up from the thoughts flooding her memory. He looked up at her startled. "You didn't answer my question." She smiled weakly.

"I'm sorry, what was your question." Martin hated what his brain was now making him do; forgetting the simplest and easiest to remember things.

"Do you think that Samantha has been progressing positively in her recovery?" She sighed repeating the question for the fourth time that day. Martin had developed a certain knack for avoiding questions either by zoning out or evading a simple answer.

"I answered that question." Martin sighed leaning back in the chair.

"Yes, but not to my satisfaction. 'As good as can be expected' sounds more like a doctor's expression to a hopeful family member. I want to know in your own words what you think." She leaned forward slightly in her chair.

Martin sighed. "It's hard to say, or at least to distinctively say for sure, positive progression or negative progression. At first I thought it was positive, she didn't want to be alone at night so she would insist on sleeping with me, in my bed that is not sexual or anything." He clarified quickly.

"But then I realized that the only reason she was like that was because she needed to know she was safe, and by knowing that I was in the bed beside her, or the room with her, she was safe." He sighed again. "It kind of stayed like that, she became a light sleeper," he sighed, knowing that she knew about the days before the attack, "and whenever I would roll over, touch her, brush against her, she would jump awake and start strangling me, realize what she was doing and retreat to the end of the bed, where sometimes she would just sit, rocking and swaying gently until the sun came up." He continued

"About a week ago, she woke up again, she was screaming and crying and the moment she realized that I too was awake she flung her arms around me and cried until the sun came up, which was a good four, five hours." Martin paused, swallowing. "But then, that night, she retreated again, that day she had been happy, or at least her face had more signs of happiness than it used to. I just confused and frustrated." Lisa had remained silent the entire time he was talking, never even showing any signs of talking or interrupting him.

"Do you think this has something to do with the upcoming trial?" She asked.

"The trial isn't for another two weeks." Martin was confused she was asking such a question.

"I know that, but do you think that because the trial is drawing closer, could have an affect on her?"

Martin thought for a moment. "I guess it could, but if you're talking about her getting better, and then getting worse, it's been close to three months since the attack." Martin was more thinking out loud.

"Maybe so, but from what I have learnt, she has had a hard time adjusting to what has happened to her."

Martin sighed looking down. He knew that Sam was scared of the trial, petrified more like it. But he also knew that she detested the prosecutor for forcing her to testify. All she wanted was to put the whole event behind her, be told how long they would all be in prison, but no, she had to sit there in that little booth staring at them.

The day of the trial finally came. Martin had found it hard to understand her behavior. The night before she had clung to him as though one of them would appear through the window of a 17th story window and take her away. As they were getting ready she avoided him at all costs, walking with him, so close that they could have been touching, yet they weren't.

Danny greeted them on the steps outside as they entered the court house, hoping in vein to steer them past the waiting media troop stationed on the steps.

"Sam, Sam, Sam, Sam, can you tell us about your ordeal?" They all shouted at her, as Danny and a group of other agents attempted to hold them back.

It startled Martin that he had been able to touch her through all that, given that most of them were men. When they walked in through the large doors he quickly removed his arm from her back to avoid being attacked.

"Just remember, you're a Federal Agent. They'll all be going away for a long, long time." Martin sighed as they approached the metal detectors.

She nodded weakly, following him closely as they passed through the detectors, flashing their badges, Martin holding Sam's because she found it hard to focus on anything.

"Martin." She whispered as they walked a few steps away from the metal detectors, still able to hear the media throng outside. "I wanted to thank you for everything that you've done for me these past couple of months." She said weakly looking up at him and holding his arm.

"It's nothing really." Martin shrugged, glancing Danny approaching them, looking exhausted.

"No, it's not nothing. Without you being there, I don't think I'd still be alive today. Which is why I wanted to give you this." She said handing him a small notepad.

"What's this?" He asked confused taking the pad.

"I've been talking to Lisa about it, and she said that it would be good for me to show you, as a way of telling you how you've helped me." She whispered, hearing labored breathing approaching them, a set of chills screaming down her spine.

"Because Danny looks like he's just fought a war on his own, I'll have a look at it later." Martin smiled, pocketing the pad as Danny arrived.

Sam still wasn't fully settled seeing him standing in front of her, given his breathing pattern and how she had heard him approach them.

"Don't do that again." She said quietly, not looking at Danny and moving to the wall, leaning against it so that no-one could approach her without her seeing.

Danny watched her confused. "You're approach and current breathing." Lisa said from behind him.

Danny twirled around to see Lisa Harris standing in front of him. "Wh-what are you doing here?" Danny stuttered.

"I was subpoenaed to testify on behalf of the defense." She sighed.

"Well then we shouldn't be talking to you." Martin said apologetically, watching Joanna Myers, the prosecutor entering the court house.

"I know, just telling Danny why Sam's spooked. Think about it." She finished walking off, waving at them weakly.

"What's she doing here?" Sam asked re-joining Danny and Martin.

"She's here to testify and that's all we can say." Danny responded. "Sorry about before." Looking at Sam.


	23. Chapter 22

TWENTY TWO

Sam hadn't been sitting in the box for ten seconds before she had raced out, headed for the bathroom. When she returned she apologized constantly, constantly avoiding the defense team seated opposite her.

She had held the bile down when the prosecutor had the board of photo's of her bruised body taken out and displayed to the jury.

The prosecutor stood in front of her, grabbing Sam's attention. Sam took no time in sending her a death glare. 'How dare you make me do this. There are four boards full of photos of my battered and bruised body, not to mention the three x-rays of my cracked ribs,' she thought bitterly.

"Samantha, can you tell us about your experience?" Joanna asked, her voice an attempt and clearly fake motherly tone that made Sam want to shout and scream at her.

"My experience," she started, "I don't know what you want to hear that you haven't already heard?"

"I want to hear about it in your own words." The woman smiled at her briefly.

"I was raped, I lost count of how many times, I know that my ex-husband watched with joy at the pain I was in, I know he enjoyed raping me, I know that all the men believed in their sick minds that I was enjoying my treatment, loving it almost. I know that I shouldn't be here because you should have plenty on these men without me testifying, and my desire to not testify should have been granted and I should not be forced to." She realized she was shouting and stopped.

"Ms Spade," The judge's voice boomed down to her, "you are not here to make statements. Please answer the question."

Sam swallowed hard, knowing that this was going to be just as hard as she had thought. "Like I said, I was raped on multiple occasions, and the man sitting over on that table took great pleasure in watching and performing some of those attacks." She finally said quietly.

Joanna nodded, realizing that she didn't really need to have Sam. She turned away from Sam and headed back to her table.

"May I ask a question you're honour?" The defense attorney asked standing, as Jack finished whispered something in his ear.

The judge nodded, holding his hand out in a 'go for your life' manner. "Thank you." The man smiled walking up to Sam and leaning on the front of the box staring wickedly at Sam.

As she took in, albeit reluctantly, the look of the man in front of her, she had a sinking feeling that she knew him from somewhere.

"I just have one question Sam." He smiled at her as he said her name. She felt anger and bile rising in her throat as he said it.

"I wanted to know what you were doing speaking to another witness in the hall earlier." He continued to smile at her.

"I wasn't speaking to another witness earlier." Sam responded confused.

"Doctor Lisa Harris is your psychiatrist?" The man turned, headed back from his desk and picked up a file.

"Why is that relevant?" Sam asked remembering when Lisa spoke with them as they arrived.

"You've been speaking with Dr Harris a lot recently." He stood in front of her.

"Given the circumstances yes I have. But I really don't understand why you have gone from asking me one question to three, and it looks like more." She felt her hand scratching her arm, a sign that she was getting nervous.

"Mr. Stanzister what is your point?" The judge sounded incredibly bored, given that the trial had only just started.

Martin and Danny shared a look when they heard his name. Martin was looking at Danny when he saw Jack staring at him. Normally he could handle the defendant staring at him, but this time, there was something unsavory being shown and it startled Martin.

"Pssst, Andy." Danny whispered to the young man sitting beside the prosecutor. He turned to look at him, when Danny motioned him closer. "What do you know about Stanzister?" He whispered.

"He's a good lawyer, has a tendency to always be representing guys from Mario Rodriguez's clan." Joanna glanced at him as he spoke.

"Well we think we might have found something about him that we need an hour max to go over." Danny whispered, watching the proceedings.

He nodded, resumed his position and began relaying the information to Joanna as Stanzister finished his questioning of Sam, and she was allowed to step down.

When she resumed her seat beside Martin, she reached for his hand and held it so hard he thought all the fingers were about to break. The pain that he was feeling caused him to miss Joanna's successful plea for an adjournment, and he didn't realize it had been granted until the people around him stood up.

"Come on man, we got an hour." Danny tapped him on the shoulder.

"Yeah, an hour, have you been working out?" He directed his attention to Sam as they left the court room.

"Just nerves, and I needed reassurance." She leaned into him as they left the building.

As they made their way down the steps, once again they were met by a horde of media bulbs flashing, questions being shouted at them, and microphones being stuffed in front of their faces. Both Sam and Martin kept their lips tightly sealed as a group of FBI agents attempted to hold them back.

"I'll be so glad when this is over." Sam moaned as they finally escaped the media.

She hated doing this. She had felt Joanna's eyes on her the entire time, at one stage glancing up and seeing remorse in them. She hoped that she would never have to return to that courtroom, but knew she was wishfully thinking.


	24. Chapter 23

TWENTY THREE

The moment the trio had returned to the Federal Building, Sam had slumped into one of the couches in Vivian's office. She couldn't bear to sit in the bullpen, hearing the team go over the new possibilities.

Martin had briefly told her what had caught his and Danny's attention. She hadn't had the energy to go into further depth with them.

She quickly, feeling the soft couch beneath her, shut her eyes and was quickly asleep.

"Dominic Stanzister is the brother of Michael Stanzister, and for the past six years has been the one to keep Mario Rodriguez, and other prominent members of his clan out of jail." Danny sighed rubbing his eyes.

Martin swiveled in his chair to look at Danny. "That doesn't mean he's not a member of the organization." He pointed weakly at Danny.

"Well I also ran Dominic Stanza, and all Stanza's for any possible link with the clan, and that's the only link." Danny sighed. "I also had a look at his bank, phone and office records for any inadequacies, and there are no payments into the clan from him, nor are there any suspicious phone calls, or missing hours from his office."

There was a period of quiet between the two men as both attempted to find quick ways of knowing whether or not Dominic Stanzister, the lawyer for Jack Malone in his trial, was linked to the Rodriguez clan.

"I'm sorry man." Danny sighed, standing and heading for the break room with his empty coffee mug.

Martin sighed, knowing that the time was drawing for them to be back at the court house. He grabbed his jacket and headed into Vivian's office to get Sam. A small smile crossed his face as he caught sight of her through the glass, lying on one of the many couches. She had a smile across her face and was sleeping peacefully.

Slowly he made his way across the room to her, crouching when he reached her. As he gently stroked the hair that was driving him crazy from her face and behind her ear he saw her eyes flicker. He removed his hand not wanting to be hurt.

Sam had found herself waking when she heard the gentle creak of the office door. She knew it was Martin and wanted to know what he was doing before she revealed the fact that she was awake. She thought about opening her eyes gently but when she could hear his breathing inches away from her she decided against it.

The touch of his fingers against her face sent shockwaves through her body; both pleasure and pain. That was what was driving her crazy.

She realized she was in love with him before the attack. When she felt his body above and inside hers whilst they were staying at the Toland's, she knew. Corny yes they were making love when she realized but still, when they finished, there was something in the beating of her heart that told her.

Now, feeling him touching her killed her. She would always feel the sensations, the tingles of electricity that passed between them, but with those feelings came the memories of what those other men had done to her.

The trial didn't help things either. Now she had to sit through and remember what had happened. She was surprised she only through up once and not repeatedly like she had anticipated.

Martin was watching her. She was just staring blankly in the direction of his chest, although not focusing. "You okay?" He whispered.

"I'm just conflicted." She sighed, not yet quite out of her trance.

"How?" He sat down so that his eyes were at her level.

"This trial, memories that come with it, how I feel, you." She whispered, sitting up and looking at him. "I just wish I could move on." She shut her eyes and hung her head as though in defeat.

"Compared to what you were like when you first came out of hospital, you are so much better now." Martin sighed taking a seat on the couch next to her.

"No I'm not. I'm the same if not worse. Then I actually knew what I didn't like, I couldn't stand to be in the same room as a man, I actually had feelings and emotions. Now I'm just numb." She didn't look at him as she spoke.

Martin sighed, trying to find ways to talk to her and make her happy.

"What the worst part about everything is, is that the man I love I can't do anything with." She admitted glancing up at him briefly. "I can't even complain about something without you not attempting to comfort me without fear of being castrated." She sighed seeing how much he wanted to rest his arm on her back and move it in slow circles all over her back.

In an attempt to prove her wrong, Martin gently rested his hand on her back, causing her to jump.

"And when you do actually touch me I do that." She smiled angrily.

Neither saw Danny standing outside the office with his jacket on ready to go, watching them with a small smile on his face. He watched for a few moments before heading for the elevators.

"Tell me a way you can help yourself, or I can help you?" Martin breathed leaning slightly closer to her.

Sam turned her head and looked at him. "I don't know." She whispered shrugging, her eyes beginning to fill with tears. "I could suggest touch me more, but then every time you touch me I'm both in this mix of pleasure and unbelievable pain." She rolled her head so that she was looking at the ceiling and then back so that she was looking at everything in front of her.

"_You've fallen for her haven't you?" Danny smiled as Martin looked over his shoulder in the general direction of the bathroom._

"_What?" Martin snapped his head in the direction of Danny after hearing what he had said._

"_You have, you've fallen in love with her." Danny said again, taking a mouthful of his water._

_Martin didn't respond, returning his gaze to the direction of the bathroom. "It was never intentional." He whispered._

_Danny smiled taking another drink, watching Martin. "You should tell her." _

"_No I shouldn't. If I tell her something like that, there are two possibilities of how she'll react." He said turning back. "She'll either be happy and move forward, or she'll spiral out of control." Martin sighed._

Martin knew why the memory suddenly flashed through his mind.

"I love you." He said without thinking.

Sam looked at him started. "What?" She breathed even though she had heard what he had said, and now her insides were having a field day.

"I love you." He breathed looking at her, watching her face.

Sam felt as though she was about to burst with happiness, or like a young girl feels after her first kiss. Although as she thought about that all she could remember was the feeling of braces, saliva all over her lips and chin, and the taste of pizza, then pushing him away from her saying 'eww, gross!'

"What?" Martin smiled at her. She wasn't looking at him, but had a smile on her face as though she was in another world.

"Sorry." She said her trance broken. "Just a memory." She raised her hand to his cheek, wondering how long he had felt like this. "I never thought I'd hear them again." She whispered, finding herself become lost in his eyes.

Martin smiled weakly. "I never thought I'd be able to say them to you without being castrated." He didn't have time to breathe after he finished, because she had her lips pressed against his.

It took Martin a moment before he fully registered what she was doing, and as he began to deepen the kiss, he felt her pulling away.

"Not here." She whispered as they parted, resting her forehead against his.

"You've definitely moved forward." Martin sighed, lifting his head to kiss her forehead.

She wrapped her arms around him, a huge smile on her face, happy that she had been able to touch a man in a positive manner; even more happy that Martin had admitted he loved her.

"I love you too." She whispered, snuggling her head into his shoulder.

Martin felt like his day was complete. But he felt panic rise when he caught sight of the clock on Vivian's desk, and realized that they were meant to be at the court house about now.

Before he had time to react his phone began ringing. Sam let go of him as he reached into one of his many pockets to answer it.

"Tell Sam I have the best news." Danny's voice announced, from the echo it sounded as though he was in the hallway.

"Okay what is the best news?" Martin asked looking at Sam.

"During the adjournment, Joanna put in a motion to remove Sam as a witness. It was accepted. She doesn't have to come in again." Martin had held the phone in front of him, motioning for Sam to lean forward as Danny spoke. When she heard the news her face lit up.

"She's very happy Danny." Martin said as Sam had her arms around Martin.

They finished the conversation, Martin flicked his phone closed and led Sam out of the office.


	25. Epilogue

_The final chapter. _

_I just want to take a moment to thank everyone who has reviewed this story, both here and on any other board that I have posted _Deception _on._

_For those who are interested in a sequel, there is one, although it remains unfinished and one day I shall get around to finishing it and posting it._

---

Epilogue

Three months later Martin and Sam were sitting anxious in his apartment. The verdict was due to be given and Danny was going to call them after it was announced.

Seeing as Sam was still having trouble dealing with all the media coverage that was being shown through the various mediums, both photos in the newspapers, sketches and footage on the news were most of them entered the court house with their head held high, they had decided against going in to hear the verdict first hand.

"You heard what Joanna said to the jury in her closing argument." Martin attempted to bring Sam into a good mood. "Compared to what Stanzister said in his, and there's too much evidence, they're all going away for a long time." Martin stood and walked up to her, taking her hands in his.

"I know." She looked at the floor. "I just can't help it." Martin was expecting her to say more so he didn't speak, bringing a silence over them both.

"You need a break from this." He whispered walking back into the kitchen.

"Every time I walk outside I always see something that reminds me. This whole trial is front page news, I can't escape it." She moaned following him, taking the soda he handed to her.

"That's the reason why I am already having ideas of somewhere you wouldn't even imagine." He smiled, his tone was almost a hoarse whisper, but there was something there that made her giggle.

"As long as its forever and secluded I don't care." Sam sighed leaning against the fridge.

Martin smiled at her, knowing that she was going to be so happy to get away to the Caribbean for a week of doing nothing but sleep on the beach and relax in crystal clear blue water.

Both thoughts that Martin and Sam were having at that time were popped by the shrill ringing of the phone. They both shared a glance as Martin approached slowly, then bringing the phone to his ear even slower.

The moment Martin answered it, Sam felt the old feeling of her stomach churning and its contents rising. Rushing to the bathroom she never heard the conversation Martin had over the phone. A part of her didn't want to, trying to work out the full conversation when all you had was half of it.

That was one thing she hated whenever she was around a person talking on the phone; there was always a part of the conversation that you didn't know about, and wouldn't know about until it was conveyed in the other person's words.

Returning to the main area, Martin was leaning against the sofa with his back to her. She didn't know whether he was waiting for her to return, happy about the decision, or depressed because they'd been let off.

"Hey." She whispered reaching him. He looked deep in thought which made her feel uneasy.

"Malone will be in prison for the rest of his life, for sexual assault, sexual abuse, extortion, and treason. All others will be in jail for the next 15 years minimum." Martin sighed not looking at her.

"There's a but. I can feel a but coming on." She whispered the anxious feeling in her stomach rising again.

"No buts, they were all found guilty and sent to jail where they all belong." Martin looked up at her smiling finally.

Sam could feel tears in her eyes, her body starting to tingle as an unfamiliar feeling began to overtake her. She could feel the corners of her lips twitching upwards and before she knew it she was beaming at him, her arms wrapped around his neck.

The sound of her laughter, the feel of her body shaking as she did little jumps in front of him, rocked Martin. He couldn't believe how happy she was, well he could believe it but it startled him.

After a few minutes she moved her head so that they could see each other. Without a moment's hesitation she had her lips pressed against Martin's forcing his lips apart and her tongue inside his mouth.

"Sam," Martin managed to mumble as she pulled away from him weakly.

"Allow me to be happy." She smiled kissing him again, a moan rising from her throat.

Martin couldn't help but feel that this was all too soon, but he knew that ever since he had admitted that he loved her, she had become much closer to him, clinging to him as they slept.

During the day they spent innumerable hours talking and playing various board games, mostly monopoly, although Martin had a collection of Monopoly's so they always enjoyed it.

Now her kisses, and the force behind them, and the way she managed to direct him in the direction of the bedroom, gave him an insight into her mindset. A part of him didn't want to have sex with her just yet though; he was afraid that it could bring back memories and she could resume her cold attitude towards him.

"I don't want to hurt you." He mumbled as she stepped away from him, pulling her shirt over her head.

"I've wanted this since you told me you loved me." She smiled working on removing his shirt. He held his arms close to his sides in protest. "Martin please, if I was going to allow myself to be hurt, why am I standing here topless?" Martin opened his mouth, but didn't know how to refute her argument.

Sam wasted no time in pulling his shirt over his head, glad that he wasn't holding back. As she dropped the shirt to the floor she allowed her fingers to trace over his torso, before bringing her lips back to his.

Quickly both their sweatpants were discarded on the floor and they were lying on Martin's bed kissing. Sam reached to her back, unclasping her bra and tossing it as far as she could from the bed. Noting Martin's reluctance to touch her, she brought his hand to her breast, encouraging him to touch it the way she liked.

Quickly his thoughts about hurting her were discarded as she continued to encourage him. She rolled him over so that she was lying on top of him, moving down so that her hips were over his knees. She looked up at him, a dark and seductive look in her eyes as she hooked her fingers into his boxers pulling them down and resting a finger, feather light on his penis.

As she gently traced her finger up and down, she watched him grow. He rolled his head back into the pillows as she brought him to attention, gasping when he felt her lips, then her tongue take over the stimulation. He looked down to see her looking up at him. She continued to look at him until she could feel herself become hotter and hotter. She didn't want to come alone, but wanted him to have some form of control over her when she did.

She let go of him, causing him to whimper, bringing herself back to his level, kissing him and rolling them both over so that he was on top of her.

His hand moved down to her centre and he moaned as he felt how wet she was through her underwear.

"We have a problem." He mumbled between kisses.

"What?" She said alarmed. She didn't want there to be any problems now, she wanted everything to be perfect.

He kissed her again as he pulled her pants off, allowing her to know what the problem was.

"I want you inside me." She whispered as he through the pants on the floor.

He smiled weakly. "Are you sure?" He breathed reaching for his drawer.

She leaned up and kissed him, bringing his stray hand back to her body. "I need,"

"I know, but there's nothing to worry about." She said not wanting the knowledge that she couldn't have children affect this moment.

"But," Martin began.

"No but's. It's safe." She whispered reaching for him.

The feelings as their bodies met made Sam's body go into overdrive. She couldn't believe she was so close already, and he'd only just entered her! She pulled his head down to hers, kissing him, moaning throatily as every thrust brought her closer.

Every moan she made amazed Martin. He'd never been with a woman where minimal foreplay and she was instantly climaxing. He liked it. It made his own orgasm come faster than expected.

Their moans started coming in unison, although neither could part their mouths to shout the others name.

Sam felt her orgasm hit her as a powerful thrust from Martin hit her. He maintained their rhythm throughout, as his own orgasm hit as he felt her muscles clench around him.

Neither knew how long the feeling lasted. It felt like hours but was probably only a few minutes. As Martin felt his arm give way out of sheer exhaustion, he collapsed on top of her, both taking longer than usual to regain their breath.

After a few minutes, Sam managed to raise her hands high enough to play with Martin's hair.

"No, energy, need sleep." Martin mumbled closing his eyes.

"I love you." She whispered as he wrapped his arms around her, never wanting to let her go. She managed to catch a glance of the smile playing on his lips, before she too, closed her eyes falling asleep.

FIN


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